


this love is like a dive under the ocean

by snugglesformuggles



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Captivity, Childhood Friends, Forbidden Love, Friends to Lovers, Keith is his bodyguard, Kidnapping, Lance is a prince, M/M, Past Sexual Abuse, Pirates, mentions of human trafficking, nothing is explicit or detailed, on the run shenanigans, the yearning is strong with this one, there is a Past between them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:48:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 30,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27358297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snugglesformuggles/pseuds/snugglesformuggles
Summary: Prince Leandro has everything he has ever wanted, except for Keith Kogane. He has spent his whole life trying to appeal to his cold bodyguard. But things change when he is told that he has to marry for advantage, as Keith starts becoming more responsive to him. They both see this as a chance to find their friendship again...until someone forces them onto a ship and tells them they're being sold. They try to figure out where to go from there, as it brings up old wounds that had never been truly healed.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 45
Kudos: 215





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> oof, y'all. This one I've been working on behind the scenes for like....months  
> I'm super excited because their dynamic is so different than what I've written before but it's really interesting to explore  
> I've written out a lot, but it might get pretty long yet, so strap in!!

Keith banged against the door again, irritated.

_Egotistical, pompous, arrogant, lazy, spoiled…._

“Your highness, you’re going to be late. You need to get up.”

A few more seconds passed, and the prince finally spoke up on the other side, sounding quite irritated himself.

“Come in.”

Keith sighed, opening the door and stepping in, bowing at the waist.

Prince Leandro Olivero of the house McClain sat up, shirtless in his ocean of a canopy bed, grumpy and glaring.

“It’s barely after sunrise. _Why_ are you waking me up?” he asked, with all his spoiled, snivelly voice.

“Sire, you have a meeting with the Queen’s consulate in just an hour. And I know that you will complain more if you don’t at least have that to get ready for it,” Keith said, with as much detached distance as he could.

“With all your preening…” Keith muttered to himself after.

Lance scoffed, as though he caught the double entendre. He slivered out of bed, still looking like a vision just waking up. The only thing he was wearing was his flowing silk pants. He took his time to stretch his back and made sure that Keith had a good view of it. Keith rolled his eyes and looked away, properly.

“Attend me.”

_I’m your bodyguard. Not your attendant, you spoiled worthless brat._

Keith kept quiet as he did the same thing as he always did, snatching the bathrobe and throwing it at the prince, hitting him in the face as he turned around.

Lance stood, mouth agape. “How are you so disrespectful? I could fire you in an instant.”

“Please don’t tempt me with a dream, your highness.”

The prince pulled down the bathrobe to put it on. He had the ghost of an amused smile and Keith ignored the urge to reflect it. He walked into the bathroom, turning on the bathwater, adding the usual foray of smelling salts and oils.

Lance leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, easy and comfortable.

“Keep the sweet-smelling soaps out. And call for breakfast. I want eggs, just the way I like them, sweet rolled cinnamon bread, grapefruit and tea. My special tea.”

Keith straightened and nodded. “Right away, sire.”

“And how many times have I told you to stop with the honorifics. Just call me Lance, it’s just the two of us. No one will know.”

“Shiro will know,” Keith responded. “He always knows. Is that all you require, your highness?”

Lance sighed, rolling his eyes. “Yes, yes, you’re dismissed. Go back to your post.”

Keith’s heels clicked as he bowed one more time and he swept out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him and heading back out of the sprawling suite.

In the corridor, he did a regular security sweep, then called for an attendant for breakfast for the prince, using the usual method of pressing the button next to the door. He stood at attention then, hand on the hilt of his sword. Just like always.

The kingdom of Varaderia was a bright kingdom, small but prosperous for its population size. It was enclosed to a large island, their most profitable product for trade was their tropical fruits and their specialty ocean gems.

And Lance was the sixth in line for the throne. The youngest of the house McClain. Spoiled rotten without a single worry in the world, barely even having to worry about taking the throne.

“Keith, how are you this morning?”

He looked over to see his good friend from the kitchens, coming to serve the princely brat his breakfast.

“Hunk. Just fine, as always. Make sure he eats well.”

Hunk grinned, winking at him. “Aw, you do care, huh?”

“I’m trying to keep it so that I don’t have hear him complain any more than I have to.”

He snorted, opening the door, then froze as Lance was standing very close to it. Lance straightened in surprise, stepping back and crossing his arms.

“I heard that, you know.”

Keith’s mouth twitched. He glanced over and nodded. “I’m glad your hearing is just as keen as always, your highness.”

Lance’s eyebrows went up, then he slowly smiled. “You’re treading on thin ice, you know.”

“I apologize, sire. You have told me to only speak my truth, though. I’ll remember to only say the best that I think of you,” he said, smirking.

“And what would that be?” Lance asked, curious.

Keith fell silent, staring ahead to the wall opposite. Lance waited a few seconds, then tilted his head.

“I’m waiting…”

“Oh, I’m sorry, sire. I believed we had finished our conversation,” Keith said, looking to the prince in his periphery.

Lance let out a disbelieving breath, but still had a smile at his lips. “What an ass you are, Keith Kogane.”

Keith felt the barest edges of a smile.

_Meetings, meetings, meetings. I hate meetings._

“Prince Leandro, how would you feel about that?”

He blinked out of his bored zoning out, looking over to who talked to him. It was the closest advisor to his mother, who was looking at him expectantly. He nearly cringed, glancing to his mother at the head of the table.

“Uh, I’m sorry?” he said, confused.

The advisor’s face hardened and his mother’s lip tightened. Lance tried for a charming smile at the woman, hoping to distract her.

“I was talking about a feast for your coming of age. It’s in just two weeks,” the advisor Maria said, firmly.

“Ah, my birthday. Yes, I do remember it, what about it?” Lance asked, casually.

“Leandro, it will be your twenty-first. And you still haven’t picked a viable candidate to be your wedded partner. You’ve been putting it off way too long,” his mother said, in her dignified way.

Lance froze and he really did cringe. “Oh…right. Uh, yes. I…see. So, this feast is to act as my search for a bride…”

He knew this subject had to come up sooner or later. As the youngest and last in line for the throne, he had been able to get away with being coy and avoiding the subject without too much speculation. But that could only last so long.

“There are very many suitable candidates. They all are planned to attend. You just need to show up and take your pick,” his second oldest brother Markos spoke up.

Lance chewed on the inside of his lip. “Right. Of course. That sounds…fine. Uh, I…look forward to it.”

As the meeting got done, he walked out first and the personal guards that had been waiting outside the room got off the walls, standing to attention. Keith stepped forward, bowing at him personally.

“I’m here at your service, your highness.”

Lance sighed, waving his hand. “Come on. We’re taking a trip around the grounds. I need to clear my head.”

Keith blinked at him, a bit curious. However, just as always, he nodded his head without a single question.

The castle grounds stretched over unto the beaches and into the rainforest. The gardens situated on the southern side, tucked away behind the high walls. Lance loved the gardens, almost as much as the beach.

He padded along the path, knowing every single flower and herb by name and use. He glanced over his shoulder to see the usual distance behind as Keith followed. He picked an outfit for the day that accentuated the muscles in his back and his long legs, a flowing silver silk that had sheer cutouts in just the right way.

Lance wondered if it was ever going to turn the head of frigid, proper Keith Kogane.

He sighed, heading over behind the denser flowers and plants to his favorite spot. He settled on the bench under the mango trees, bringing up a knee to sit under him and his arm setting on the back of the bench.

Keith stood behind the bench, further under the tree’s foliage. Lance looked over his shoulder.

“So, Keith. Do you have someone in mind to marry?” Lance asked, curiously.

His bodyguard chuckled. “Me? Getting married? No, not likely.”

“And why not?” he persisted, turning around more. “You’re an attractive suitor. You’d get a decent reception. As long as people ignore your horrible personality. And the hair, of course.”

Keith rolled his eyes. “No one would want to marry me. I’m a foreigner and I’m completely stuck to you. My job is my life.”

Lance deflated, fiddling with one of his many bracelets. “That was your decision, remember? To become my guard? I told you over and over I didn’t want you to do it.”

“I’m not lamenting my losses, your highness,” Keith said, uncharacteristically genuine. “You said so yourself. This is the life I have chosen. The fact I have a choice at all is a miracle for me.”

“Right. A choice…” Lance repeated, quietly.

Keith was watching him, closely. “May I ask why you’re wondering about my marital status?”

Lance sighed, head falling back to look at the mangoes above him, still not in season.

“My birthday’s in two weeks. The advisors want the feast to serve as a place to find my partner,” he said, exasperated.

“Ah, I see…” Keith said, carefully. “Does that bother you?”

“I don’t like that the only thing I’m supposed to be able to choose for myself, really won’t be my choice.”

Keith’s eyes went to his face as he looked over. Lance desperately wanted to ask Keith why as soon as he turned from friend to bodyguard, it felt like the distance between them was never larger. Every single day, Keith stayed right there at his side, but he felt so much farther out of reach.

“Keith….” Lance said, softly. “What if we did something crazy?”

His guard’s eyebrows shot up. “Crazy is dangerous, sire.”

“But, what if it wasn’t?” Lance said, straightening up. “What if we could pull it off?”

Keith frowned, not seemingly liking where this was going. “I don’t like where this is going.”

_Bingo. I can read you like a book._

“What if we could leave? Get out of this…whole place? Go somewhere, far away. No one knows who we are. We don’t have these responsibilities or expectations. We could do it, I know we could. You’re all trained and scary-looking so we couldn’t ever run into too much trouble and I’m super charming and attractive, so I could at least do some kind of act where I dance or sing and we could get money,” Lance said, painting the whole picture.

“Would that be so crazy?”

For the first time in maybe the entire five years Keith had been his personal guard, he lost some decorum. His expression went from shocked, to confused and then settled on disbelief.

“You wouldn’t last a day on your own,” Keith said, shaking his head. “Even _if_ I were to go with you.”

Lance sighed, falling onto the bench, splaying out pathetically. “You wouldn’t go with me.”

Keith stepped up to the bench, closer. He glanced down at Lance, then looked away.

“No, I would.”

Lance’s head raised in something that felt like hope. But, of course Keith had to dash it away.

“I’m sworn to serve you and only you. Everywhere you go, I go. Fugitive or not.”

He sighed, head falling back down to look at the tree trunks around the path leading to the bench. “Of course. You and your oaths.”

“I vowed to protect you until my dying day. And that’s what I’ll do, your highness.”

Lance nearly flinched at the ‘your highness’. “You used to call me Lance. We used to talk about running away together all the time. We used to talk about…”

Keith closed his eyes, looking away, as close to sad as Lance had ever seen Keith in five years.

“I know, sire. But this is the way things are. Nothing can change that. I’m nothing more than your guard. Even back then, I was nothing more than a dirty orphan commoner that stowed away on one of your ships. This is…” Keith said, voice conflicted. “This is the way things are.”

Lance stared at Keith, shocked at how much he was saying after so long of being so proper and composed.

_Do you still love me? Do you still want me? Do you think about me every single second like I think about you?_

He instead sat up, picking up a silver piece of silk and letting it flow through his hand.

“You know we could do it. Run away. We could make it. Together, we could do it,” Lance repeated, less confidently than he meant to.

“Maybe,” Keith said, surprising Lance enough to look up again. His bright, knowing indigo eyes looked at him, sad. “Maybe we could make it. But you wouldn’t be happy.”

“What? I-I totally would! I don’t need this stuff. I don’t need the extravagance or-or the money or the attendants. I make it seem like I do, because it’s easier. But, I don’t. I’d throw it away in a heartbeat if you and I could…” Lance said, desperately. He trailed off, just as always.

Keith chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s not what I meant, although I’d love to see you really losing all your expensive moisturizers and bath salts. I mean that even if you could stand losing your royal status, you could never stand losing your family.”

Lance’s heart stuttered in its beating and he looked down, knowing that even after all the years, Keith could read him easier than a book.

“Your highness, it’s time for you to move on. The past is in the past. We were children when we talked about…this is really the way things are. There’s nothing more,” Keith said, softly. “I’m always going to _only_ be your bodyguard.”

Lance squeezed his eyes shut and he shuddered out a breath.

“I know.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith reminisces about how he got to where he was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anybody else unbearably stressed today in the U.S.??? well, if you need a distraction, here ya go

Keith had the dream again that night, after his late-night guard duty ended.

It was as it always was, his tiny frail body at just the age of ten, stowed away on a ship. It was bound for some far-off tropical kingdom, one that he had never heard of. He was tucked away behind some exotic oil bottles that smelled strongly of fruits.

He shivered as the deck was wet and cold and he hadn’t on anything more than a tattered rag of a shirt and pants. He coughed a little.

_I need to steal some food_

Keith had gone nearly two days aboard the ship without eating a single morsel of food or drinking any water. He had even contemplated breaking open and drinking one of the weird oil bottles. But, he decided to finally venture out into the bigger storage area around him.

He desperately checked every single bag and crate for food. He realized this part of the ship must only store the merchandise and he nervously looked at the hatch that led up to the top deck.

He whipped out the tiny dagger he stole off a drunk man and he carefully opened the hatch, looking around.

The deck was busy with seamen working around the clock. It was dark out, so not as many as it would be in the middle of the day.

Keith slowly stepped out, keeping to the shadows and behind ropes or barrels. He held the dagger in his hand, shaking from fear. He searched through all the doors and cabins on the opposite side of the ship, wondering which one would be the food.

He counted the crew currently visible, then looked up to the rigging.

If he could somehow get up there, he could silently swing to the other masts and crawl down to find the stores of food. Incredibly risky, but not as risky as staying on the deck to be found within-

“Well, what do we have here?”

Keith whipped around, stumbled to fall onto his back in alarm.

It was a teenager. A boy barely old enough to maybe be called a man. He had dark black hair cut short on the sides, body built at the arm and chest and a curious expression on his face. Keith then noticed within a second that he had only one arm.

“Shiro? What are you looking at?”

Another teenager came over, curious. The boy (Shiro) looked at him and as he did, Keith tried to make his break, but was grabbed at the back of his shirt and lifted easily into the air.

“H-hey!” Keith said, arms flailing. He daringly swished his knife out and around, desperately. “Put me down!”

It was a large, looming man with an eyepatch that held him. Keith’s heartrate quickened in fear as the rest of the crew had their attention drawn.

“It looks like we’ve got ourselves a stowaway,” the one-eyed man said, smirking. “Shall we throw him overboard?”

Keith kicked, wildly. He got the man in the gut, making him bend with an ‘ooph’. This brought Keith down to graze the ground and he swung up his dagger hand behind him, burying it in the man’s bicep.

As soon as the man let him go with a scream, he yanked out the dagger and dashed around the crew as they all made a grab for him. He jumped up and lithely scaled one of the masts with a rope, swinging up to scramble onto the yard for the top gallant sail.

He quickly crouched on the wood, like a bird, dagger pointing at where the crew were already trying to follow him.

Then everything stopped, the crew freezing in their tracks.

Keith squinted as light poured from one of the doors that obviously held the captain or the distinguished person in charge. He was so high up, he had no idea who came out or what they said.

But, the crew all descended and shouted at the person, pointing up at Keith. He tensed, wondering if this really was when he was going to die.

Then, all of a sudden, they went back to work.

Only one person tried to make his way up to where Keith was sitting, still at the ready. The person easily scaled the mast, even with the one arm.

It was Shiro who comfortably stood on the narrow wood, holding onto the mast and smiling kindly to him.

“Hi, I’m Shiro. I’m not here to hurt you. I just want to help.”

Keith bared his teeth, dagger jutting out to point threateningly. It still dripped with blood.

“You’re scared. I understand. But, I promise you, I won’t hurt you. And the crew has been ordered to do the same. The captain told us to bring you to him. He just wants to hear what you have to say. I can guarantee that’s probably the best thing you could ask for.”

He stared straight into Shiro’s eyes, searching them for truth and honesty. But as his vision grew dizzy again, he knew he barely had a choice. If the captain decided to kill him, it might be better than starving to death.

He scaled down the mast after Shiro, letting the boy lead him to the captain’s quarters. That’s where he stopped in absolute wonder and shock.

The captain was a child, even younger than him.

He was sitting on a desk, rather than behind it, with three advisors around him. The advisors were regarding Keith with disgust or confusion.

And the boy was _beautiful._

The most beautiful thing Keith had ever laid eyes on. His skin was a dark golden color, dotted with freckles and his eyes sparkled like the ocean with the sun beating down on it. His clothes were a stunning silk, drifting and thin. His expression curious and open, just as a child’s would be.

“Who are you?” the boy asked.

Keith shivered, suddenly incredibly frightened. “My name is Keith. Who are you?”

The boy grinned, delighted. “You don’t know who I am?”

Keith’s eyes furrowed in confusion. “Have we met?”

“Nope!” the boy said, jumping off the desk to the ground and standing right in front of him. The attendants all reached out in alarm, as Keith was still holding the bloody dagger. The boy didn’t pay it any mind, as he offered Keith a hand to shake.

“My name is Lance.”

And the dagger dropped to the ground. Keith stared at the hand, perfectly clean and pristine, as if it never had even heard of dirt.

Keith then said the absolute most embarrassing thing he could have said.

“Are you an angel?”

Lance’s eyes widened and he giggled, shaking his head. He took Keith’s hand at his side, forcing the handshake.

“I’m a prince.”

_Close enough_

And Keith woke up with a gasp, sitting up and breathing heavily. He held a hand against his beating heart, as it always was after the dream. He groaned, falling back down and covering his forehead with his arms.

“Stop it. Quit. It’s over. Done.”

He tried to make himself believe that, again, as he always did.

It was nearly twelve years since he met the prince. He needed to get over it. He was a guard. Nothing more.

_Are you an angel?_

He sighed, getting out of bed and heading over to his sink, splashing his face. He leaned against the sides of it, looking up at his reflection.

Keith never seemed to be able to get the idea of being a dirty orphan stowaway out of his head. Even as the years have gone by, he grew and gained his muscle and his hair flowed at his back, it still didn’t change anything.

At his heart, he was still that ten-year-old boy, just having lost his father and needing a way to escape the authorities in his kingdom. And immediately finding his salvation in the form of a beautiful boy with bright blue eyes.

He clicked his tongue in irritation at himself, then spied the twilight. Might as well just get ready for the day.

Keith suited up in his normal attire of leather chest armor and thin pants. He braided his long hair, pinning it up into a bun and grabbing his sword that sat against his wardrobe. He headed out, in the direction of the training yard as all the guard’s quarters were directly adjacent to the training yard.

The yard was empty, as it was barely the start of the day. The island liked its leisure time, so that even carried onto its guards.

Keith took off his shirt and armor, already knowing he was going to sweat and not wanting to get that dirty. Less laundry, the better.

He swung his sword, lazily. He started basic maneuvers as a warm-up, losing himself to the concentration of the exercise. He tried to forget the memories of Lance, when they were children, onto when they became teenagers.

Back when they were friends and…turning to something more.

Keith made the decision to become Lance’s personal bodyguard, not because of some noble pursuit of loyalty. But because he was selfish. He wanted every excuse to be as close to the prince as possible. To never have to be ordered away from his side.

It was a choice he made when he was still young, idealistic and sure that there would be no one for him other than Lance.

And it was still true. Lance was his life. He had Keith’s very soul in the palm of his hands.

But, on the cusp of Lance’s coming of age, he just seemed to realize that maybe Lance couldn’t give him the same thing.

He had known that, of course. To the very second he met Lance, his first thought was ‘this creature was not of my world’. Lance was the epitome of unattainable for him. He knew that Lance, still being human, would need more than just Keith.

When Lance teased him or tempted him with visions of fantasy, running away and being together, it was nothing more than projection of Lance’s petty desire for freedom. It was his responsibility to bring him back down to the ground and showing him the reality.

Keith could never dream of having more than just Lance as he was.

So, he would bite his tongue, as always.

No matter how agonizing it may become.

The day had started soon enough, all the guards coming in to work out their own moves. Keith was already on his way out, when Shiro settled on the post next to his shirt and armor.

“How’s it going?”

Keith gave him a small smile, deciding to catch up. “Well enough, I suppose. Just as always. What about you? How’s you and Adam?”

Shiro hummed, holding up his hand to show his wedding tattoo sprawled over the back of it. He smiled at it, sentimental.

“We just got a cat, you know. Named it Snuffles.”

Keith scoffed. “Tragic. Remind me to apologize to it later.”

Shiro rolled his eyes. “Such a rude child you are.”

“I’m an adult now, thank you very much,” Keith said, shortly. “Have been for a good number of years, now.”

“Speaking of which…” Shiro said, with the brotherly tone that suggested a topic he knew Keith didn’t want to talk about. “Prince Leandro’s twenty-first is coming up.”

Keith sighed, looking away. “Yeah. What about it?”

“I heard that he’s using the feast to look for a bride,” he said, cautiously. “Did you know?”

“Yes, I knew. And before you ask, it’s fine. It’s how it always should be. I’m not here to woo a prince, as one: it’d be irresponsible and two: impossible. We’re in two different worlds. Nothing can happen, so it won’t. I’ll be there for him as I always am, behind and as support,” Keith said, quietly so no one overheard.

“You say that now, but what’s going to happen if he actually follows through? Could you possibly find it in you to still be _just_ his bodyguard?” Shiro asked, concerned.

“I have until now. And I want him to be happy. If he finds someone that could do that for him at the feast, then I will support it fully. I took an oath to protect him until my dying breath and that’s what I’ll do. If he falls in love…” Keith said, trailing off at the end.

“If he falls in love with someone other than me, then it will have been for the best.”

Shiro sighed, looking pained for him. “I don’t want you to put yourself through that. It sounds…heartbreaking.”

Keith didn’t respond at first, grabbing his shirt and armor, patting Shiro’s shoulder that had no arm attached anymore.

“It is…” he whispered, before heading out of the training yard, to his personal quarters and giving himself a quick bath, adding just the barest of smelling salts to counteract the stench from the training yard.

He walked through the castle, heading up the stairs to the fourth floor of the west wing, where Lance’s chambers were. He had specifically requested it to be on the other side of the castle, as the west had the view of the ocean.

He forced himself to think about how spoiled, pompous and egotistical the prince was. If he somehow made himself believe that the prince was never even worth the trouble, then it all became just a bit easier.

It never truly worked.

Keith dismissed the night guard, who gave a quick bow and headed off. He checked the window, noting the sun’s position. Nearing mid-morning.

He knocked against the door, as always.

_Time for the performance_


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance finally breaks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not to be like...outing myself as a former superwholock but wow y'all...  
> those homophobes at the cw really made destiel canon after 12 years and we're over here in our dying embers of the Bonding Moment   
> maybe this is a sign that klance can actually be canon king you know...  
> right before they send Keith back to the space whale forever or something

Lance woke to a knock at his door. His eyes opened, the dream he had been sucked into sinking away. He sighed, sitting up, then quickly fixed his hair. He arranged the sheets so that one of his legs sat on top, bending them to look enticing.

Keith always liked his legs.

“Come in!”

His bodyguard came in, bowing. Just like always. He straightened then took in Lance’s position, very subtly clenching his jaw and looking away.

_Ha, still able to affect him_

“Your highness, should I call for breakfast?”

Lance sighed, standing up, in just his long silk shirt that barely covered him. He smirked as Keith looked away, reaching over to his bathrobe and throwing it at him. He put it on, tying it at his waist.

“Yeah. Do that. And…”

He was about to tell Keith to attend to him, as he always did. But, then something changed. The thought of things continuing as it always did, Keith right beside him, yet leagues away….it exhausted him.

“And then you can just stay at your post. I’ll attend myself.”

Keith turned back to look at him, eyebrows furrowing just a little. His lips thinned over his teeth, then his heels clicked, bowing again.

“Yes, sire.”

He was just about to leave, hand on the door, when Lance couldn’t help to ask.

“Could you call me Lance? Just…once. One…one more time.”

Keith tensed, then took a long deep breath. He glanced over his shoulder at him, his indigo stormy eyes roiling with emotion.

“I’ll just be outside… _Lance_.”

The door shut and Lance shuddered out a breath, losing strength in his legs to fall onto the edge of his bed. His heart pounded, almost pathetically. He had no idea that Keith calling him that after nearly five years would affect him so much.

He’d been chasing crumbs for so long. Was the idea that Lance could actually get married making Keith more responsive? He didn’t know.

It’d been nearly six years since they confessed their love for each other, barely fifteen and sixteen, planning on getting married.

He’d been ready, too. He had a bag packed and was ready to sell anything and everything he could salvage to buy them passage on a ship to the Northlands, willing to do whatever it took.

But then, that night that they were supposed to meet, Keith didn’t show up with a bag. He told Lance that he had changed his mind, that he didn’t want to ruin Lance’s life.

The next year, after Keith left for nearly seven months, he came back and knelt before him and his father. He came back from some voyage that he told no one about except for Shiro, rugged, head shaved and a new scar over his cheek and down his neck. He told them that he wanted to swear himself to be Lance’s bodyguard. His father agreed as Lance stood there, shaking from unshed tears.

That entire time, Keith never ever told him what really happened.

Lance knew Keith. He knew him better than he could know anyone. And he knew _something_ or _someone_ had gotten to him. Influenced him to change his mind.

He stood up and knocked open his balcony doors, settling to lean over the stone railing. He breathed in the familiar scent of the ocean and the perfumed flowers that crawled up the ivy over the edges.

Even though his heart was in tatters over Keith every single second of his life, he hadn’t cried because of him since he was sixteen. And yet, tears ran down his face in that moment.

Something about that _‘Lance’_ had felt like a true finality. An ending.

Keith was never, ever going to be his. No matter how much either of them may truly want it.

That day, they had feast preparations to attend to.

Lance didn’t talk to him with his usual familiarity once.

Keith spoke with his own usual distance, as he always did. But Lance spoke with a cold, unfeeling reproach to him.

His eyes that had always looked like they sparkled like the sun dancing over the water’s surface looked at him, dull and icy.

Keith’s hand clenched on his sword’s hilt.

He was standing outside the personal library chambers that the King and Queen resided in, as Lance was currently going over the list of suitable marriage partners. Shiro was stationed with him, as the personal guard to the Queen.

“Are you okay?” Shiro whispered, concerned. “You and the prince seem…out of sorts.”

Keith glanced at him, then looked away. “He’s…distant from me. Maybe to make this easier on himself. I told him in no uncertain terms, that we were only professional.”

He sighed, heart breaking for the millionth time. He wondered if he would ever be whole again.

“I see…” Shiro said, thoughtful. “I think that you’re being very mature about this.”

Keith huffed. “Well, that’s new. Because I’ve felt like I never grew past that ten-year-old that fell in love at first sight.”

Shiro clicked his tongue, sympathetic. “I’m sorry that this has been so hard for you, Keith. With time, it may ease some of your pain.”

_I doubt that_

The doors opened, Lance darkened expression the first sight the guards saw. Keith immediately stepped up, bowing at his sworn duty.

As always.

“Keith. Follow me. We’re going in town to get supplies.”

And the unfamiliar icy tone. Keith straightened still, loyal as ever.

“Yes, your highness.”

The town surrounding the castle dotted the landscape of the beaches, stalls of the markets on blankets and with easy accessed cabanas. Lance dressed in much less fine silks, yet anyone could tell he was nobility with the way he walked and with Keith behind him the entire way.

Lance didn’t smile and greet every citizen with warm, genial air like usual. He would still wave and talk to those he knew, but there was a distance. A strange detachment.

Keith was really, really bothered by it.

He didn’t like the cold, detached Lance. It was wrong.

Lance was directing a few attendants to gather supplies at the stalls, pointing to dressings of fabrics and jewelry. He would then move on to more makeup or ointments and oils.

Keith was fidgeting, wanting for Lance to just…go back to normal.

“Keith, will you be stationed at the celebrations?”

He startled out of his reverie, to see Lance’s icy gaze turned on him.

“Yes, your highness. As…always.”

Lance nodded, then waved away his attendants to go on without him. That left the two of them alone on the edges of the market. It made Keith antsy.

“Shall I do something? To let us finally be free of each other?”

Keith was stunned into silence, unable to understand what that meant at all. Lance glanced to him, hard icy eyes now dulled into blurry resignation.

“I could ask for a new bodyguard. I could give you swarms of money for you to get safe passage to the Northlands. You could go home,” Lance said, quietly. “You could finally be free of me. You could build yourself a life.”

Keith actually physically stepped back, his heart plummeting out of his chest. His actual worst nightmare. Lance gave up on him. Not as a romantic venture, but as the only thing he could ever be.

“Sire…” Keith said, then he sighed heavily.

“Your high-…Lance, that isn’t what I want. At all. But, if you wish for it…I’ll…I’ll step aside. You won’t need to give me anything or do anything. I…I will l-leave you. If…”

He hesitated, bowing his head. “If that’s what you want…”

Lance grabbed his hand, suddenly, forcibly marching him out the markets into the sandy rocks and then up a well-worn path that they both knew led to the castle’s gardens. Keith stumbled after, disoriented by the sudden behavioral changes in the prince. The rainforest permeated the usual muggy heat as they hiked up the hill.

“Your-your highness, what’s…?” Keith spoke up, looking around.

Lance stopped, hand still clutching Keith’s hand like a lifeline.

“Why?”

The question hung in the air between them. Keith’s muscles tensed.

“Why…what?”

“That day…” Lance whispered, emotions clouding over his voice. “That day all those years ago…why? Why did you change your mind? What happened?”

Keith tried to immediately wrench himself out of Lance’s grasp. Lance held firm and he turned, now looking the most desperate he’d ever looked.

“I deserve to know. Something happened and…and if I’m going to do it…if I’m going to give you up forever…I deserve to know _why_ ,” Lance said, squeezing harder on Keith’s hand.

“Lance…I…it’s not…it’s in the past. It’s…it’s _over_ now,” Keith whispered, deflating. “You’re about to get engaged. And I’m just-,”

“Keith, you’ve always been the best person I’d ever met. Title or not. You’re not _‘just’_ anything,” Lance said, tightening his grasp even more. “ _Talk_ to me, please. I can’t…”

He turned his gaze to the ground and let out a shuddering breath.

“I’m going to be forced into a marriage to someone I know I won’t love. And that’s going to be forever. My _future_ is over. My past with you…it’s all I have now.”

Keith’s heart pounded and he couldn’t…he _couldn’t._

“Your _highness_.”

Lance released Keith’s wrist as though it burned him. He flicked his eyes up with tears running over his face. Keith stepped back, hand clenching so hard on the hilt of his sword that it dug into his palm. He shakily bent down to one knee, fist hitting the ground and head bowed in submission.

“My service is all I can offer you. As your employment is all you can offer me. If you wish for me to step down, you will never have to see me again. I’ll leave my hair and sword at your feet.”

At the mention of Keith’s physical manifestation of his devotion with his hair, Lance sucked in a harsh breath. A few beats of silence continued to swirl in the air.

“Stay. Pl-please stay. I won’t ever bring this up again. This will…”

Lance sighed, voice quieting with something that sounded like resignation.

“This will be the last time you will hear of this. Just…stay beside me.”

Keith closed his eyes in stark relief, breathing out slowly.

“Yes, your highness.”

As they finished their day, Lance released him early that evening, citing that he needed rest. Keith was glad to have the reprieve of just standing outside the door.

The earlier conversation had shaken him to his core.

Keith hadn’t ever once questioned his decision to swear himself to Lance. When he found the one supposed solution to the problem of his youth, he must have deluded himself that it would actually work out in the end.

Did he actually ruin everything?

It was starting to get later in the night, almost to the shift change when Lance’s door opened.

He turned his head to see an uncharacteristically shy (and fully covered) Lance. There was no jewelry, no enticement, no “subtle” suggestion. He stood in the doorway with wide eyes, pleading.

“I can’t sleep. Will you come in? I’d…feel safer if you were.”

Lance’s voice was barely above a whisper. Keith responded immediately, lowering his guard way too much to be appropriate. Lance hadn’t looked at him like that, fully and unabashedly for years. It stripped him down to being just a lovestruck teenager again.

“Of course, your highness. Whatever you need.”

Lance let him in, Keith slowly relaxing from his tense decorum. Lance had been right, after all. No one would see them this way. Lance didn’t even look behind when he opened up the doors to the balcony. Keith was only hopeless to follow.

They settled against the railing with the night settling in, the sounds of the tropical forest and the waves on the shore creating the ambience. It reminded of all the late nights from years before, children that made all the time in the world for each other.

Maybe the past was all that Keith had, too.

“I’m sorry.”

Keith turned as Lance was wringing his hands on the railing. Lance sighed, meeting his gaze.

“All these years…I’m sorry. I’ve been putting you in such a horrible position. And earlier…I’ve been so selfish and thoughtless. I’ve only thought about myself and how I’ve been feeling. I never tried to understand your perspective and your responsibilities.”

Keith was nearly shocked at how mature Lance had turned. It was as though the simple thought of being engaged to someone had sent the prince into something like self-reflection.

Keith took a moment, then sighed. He set his forearms to mirror Lance on the railing and looking out over the sands and the ocean.

“My entire life after you rescued me, I’ve stuck by you. And that was my choice. I’ve never been forced to do anything at all. I owe you my life and my freedom. You’re…you’ve always been… _everything_ to me. This is the life I’ve chosen. The life I _want.”_

He was dancing around it. They both seemed to understand that.

“Do you remember that day on the ship? The day I stowed away?” Keith asked, turning his head a little and smiling as small as he could. Lance mirrored the expression, nodding.

“How could I ever forget? You stabbed Iverson in the arm,” he said, chuckling deep in his throat.

Keith huffed. “He never let me forget that either. Would make training to be a guard hell for me just out of spite.”

Lance paused then, a strange contemplative expression taking over. He looked out to the darkened ocean and sky.

“I remember…that you asked me if I was an angel,” Lance whispered, nearing on the pained.

Keith bit the inside of his lip and looked down at his hands, wringing them. “I did. At ten-years-old, I took one look at you…and I knew that you weren’t someone I could feasibly reach. I didn’t need to know your title or name and I still knew.”

“Keith, that isn’t fair to me,” Lance said, suddenly firmer than before.

Keith looked over, surprised. The prince had a hard expression, brows furrowed and mouth taught. He was still staring at the oceans.

“When you put me on a pedestal like that, it _forces_ me out of reach. I’m not anything more than a man. If you continue to convince yourself that I’m not someone you can be next to, then that means I can’t reach you anymore either….”

Lance then turned to catch his eye, blue ice meeting grey steel. 

“And that _hurts,_ Keith. A lot.”

Keith couldn’t help a flinch, hands clutching at the railing for purchase.

“I didn’t mean-that’s not-,”

“But it is though,” Lance said, quieter this time. “You’re forcing me out of reach because you think that’s what’s best for me. And-and maybe we can’t be together like we were. But, at least…”

He sighed, deflating. “At least let me have my _friend_ back. Please…”

Keith studied how tired and exhausted Lance looked. He felt ultimate shame for putting so much pressure on Lance to forget their past, when Keith never could.

“I’m sorry,” Keith said, softly. “I never meant to hurt you. And…and I do want that. I do want my friend back, too.”

Lance sighed, looking like the relief lifted tons of weight off his shoulders. Keith realized that what he’d been doing all those years as a guard had really just made Lance more in pain.

“I want you to stay by my side. As anything that you can be to do that. A guard, friend, whatever. You don’t have to give up your life for me, but…” Lance said, trailing off.

“I’m sworn to you. Until the oceans swallow the lands and the day forever turns to night. I am yours and yours alone,” Keith said, repeating his words of devotion and loyalty. But this time, there was a softer air, a more tender tone.

“And always shall be.”

Lance’s eyes crinkled with emotion and he nodded. He finished the vow that he had said to accept Keith’s position.

“And so it is until my dying breath.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The preparations for Prince Leandro's birthday introduces the reality of his engagement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're about to get an explanation of their real relationship and the meat of the fic

The weeks following up to the feast were the most comfortable Lance had ever been with Keith since before that day when they were teenagers desperately in love.

Keith would come in as usual every morning, but Lance never tried to entice him. Keith would actually stay for breakfast, speaking to Lance as a _person_ rather than his _prince._ They would follow their usual schedules, Lance very busy with feast preparations but would always find time to just stroll on the beach or in the gardens. They would talk with an ease, as if those five years of practiced distance never happened. Keith would even occasionally say ‘Lance’ rather than with honorifics. But only when they were alone and mostly at night.

He wondered vaguely how Keith really felt after all those years. His bodyguard had always been cold and unfeeling to him, so it was such a turn-around to see him smile and brighten just like he’d done when they were children.

Lance thought that maybe Keith had always been just as lonely as he had been.

That day, only a few days up until Lance’s coming of age, he was strolling in the tide of the sea on the castle’s personal stretch of beach that Keith brought it up.

“What would you like for your birthday?”

Lance nearly stumbled right into the ocean waves in surprise. He turned to see Keith strategically looking out at the horizon.

“You’re planning on getting me a gift?” Lance asked, winded. “Really?”

Keith huffed, cheeks turning just a bit suspiciously pink. “It’s your coming of age, sire. And I’ve missed a few birthdays. And you’ve always gotten me something for mine. So, if it doesn’t make you uncomfortable-,”

“No, no of course not!” Lance said, breaking into a wide grin. “But, I…I don’t really need anything. You giving me our friendship back is the best gift I could ever ask for. Plus I…I really have way too many things as is.”

Keith smirked, turning back to catch his eye. “That might be true, spoiled brat.”

Lance gasped, feigning offense. “How rude. I’ll have you know that I am the most humble of my household.”

“Princess Veronica gave all her gold to the Master of the Displaced for the homeless foreigners from the Northlands on her coming-of-age,” Keith said, an eyebrow going up.

“Ronnie doesn’t count. She’s like a saint _only_ in front of the castle court. Otherwise she’s a horrible sarcastic wench that steals my hair products.”

Keith laughed, genuine and for real. It made Lance’s insides flutter and he quirked into a fond smile. Keith casually cleared his throat, obviously embarrassed letting himself get carried away, but then still stayed relaxed.

“There has to be something you want,” Keith said, stepping just slightly closer to Lance. “Of course, I’d rather it be cheaper than the usual things you get. Castle guard is a steady job, but still doesn’t pay that much.”

Lance hummed, kicking his feet out in the water a little. He waved his shoes in his hand as he pondered.

“I don’t have anything in particular that I want…this birthday isn’t one I’m really looking forward to. The idea of having to find my partner…”

He sighed, mood dropping. “It kind of sours the celebration portion.”

Keith nodded, a little forlorn himself. “Right. Of course.”

Lance studied his face for a few moments, then smiled a little. “But if you do insist…I’ve been wanting a new bow since I’ve been neglecting the hobby. I know you have connections to the weapons guild. Maybe you can help them design it for me.”

Keith’s face literally lit up at the idea, already seeming to think up designs. Lance had to stifle a giggle, biting on his lower lip.

“That’s a great idea, your highness. You were always such a prodigy as an archer,” Keith said, excited. “And it’s always worth that you keep up a skill to protect yourself.”

“Ah yes, as I’m always in danger,” Lance said, sarcastically.

“You never know, sire. Things can change in an instant. It’s important to stay vigilant.”

Keith was serious and gruff when he said this.

Lance chuckled, continuing on their walk with Keith following. “Even after all these years, you’re always so paranoid. I’ve never once been actually attacked. We’re on an island and everyone knows everyone. If there were even hints at an insurrection it’d be immediately quelled before it ever reached me.”

“I’d make sure of that with every breath I take. But, I can’t always be there to protect you. If you picked up your archery again, it’d probably help me sleep at night,” Keith said.

“Well there you go. My birthday present if you so wish to give me one.”

Lance was giddy at the idea of having a gift crafted in mind by Keith. Even with the looming threat of the suitors coming over the horizon in ships.

The next day, the processions began.

Keith was tense, hand on his sword and adding two extra daggers at his calves for protection. The ships from all the kingdoms across the ten nations, from the Northlands to the far reaches of the Balmeran mountains.

The castle opened its doors to all kinds of princes and princesses and noble family that had the required titles to compete for Prince Leandro’s hand in marriage.

Lance stood at the front of the throne room’s raised dais, the rest of the family sat on thrones behind him. Even as Lance’s twin Princess Rachel had the same coming-of-age, she wouldn’t be the forefront of the celebration, as she had already chosen her engaged partner at the age of seventeen.

Keith stood on the ground at the foot of the dais as Lance’s personal guard and would be included in welcoming the suitors. Despite all his efforts to thwart his nagging ache, seeing all the proper candidates size up Lance as though he were something to pick off a platter grated on his nerves. By the fifth or sixth candidate, he was clenching so hard on the hilt of his sword that it dug into his palm.

“Announcing the Princess Allura of Altea,” the herald at the door announced.

Princess Allura stepped in and even Keith in all his homosexual glory had to blink out of reverie at her beauty. She was a gorgeous creature with dark, supple skin and long, flowing starlight white hair. Her dress made of yards of pale blue and swatches of sparkling pink silks flowed around her. It looked as though she were an ethereal being from another world.

Behind him, a few of Lance’s siblings hummed and murmured at her entrance. Keith took a subtle glance to Lance, who stood wide-eyed and staring at her. Keith bit hard on his tongue, desperately trying not to get lost in his newfound dread.

Princess Allura stopped at the end of the blue and white silk carpet at the foot of the dais and she bowed low. Keith bowed at the waist and Lance behind him nodded his head.

“I welcome you, Princess Allura. Our walls shall house and comfort you during your stay. May the oceans bless this encounter,” Lance said, prim and proper as he had the rest of those announced.

“Thank you, Prince Leandro. Your kind hospitality brings me great joy,” she said, rising to meet Lance’s eyes.

Lance then did something he hadn’t with anyone else, he smiled at her. The sight twisted at Keith’s insides and he had to look away. Lance stepped down to be only one step higher than her, reaching down and grabbing her hand. He bent forward and brushed his lips over Allura’s knuckles.

“Please, you may call me Lance.”

Keith’s heart nearly stopped at that. He had to position his left arm behind his back to keep from visibly shaking.

“You may call me Allura,” she said, voice twinkling like her starlight hair.

They stayed enraptured by the other for a few more moments, before Lance’s father behind him cleared his throat. Lance startled before laughing nervously.

“Oh, my apologies. I’m holding up the line as it seems. I hope your stay here is pleasant. There are attendants here to show you around,” Lance said, dropping her hand, but staying close to her.

Allura nodded, bowing one more time. “Maybe after the processions, I could have a private tour?”

Keith had to hold back a physical flinch, fist at his back clenching so hard he was sure his nails were breaking skin. Lance’s smile broadened and he bent his head forward.

“It would be my honor.”

Lance sighed after he was finally given time to himself, heading straight back to his room and then dramatically falling to the bed and splaying out.

“How are you feeling, sire?”

“Like I was being pimped out for service. Ugh, that was bordering on the unbearable.”

Keith chuckled, but there was a reserved note to it. Like he was thinking about something difficult and didn’t know how to bring it up.

“Anyone catch your eye?”

Lance hummed, sitting up and examining Keith’s pinched eyebrows and nervous hand movements. Lance sighed again.

“I thought you were wanting me to get married. That was kind of the whole point of our new truce, was it not?”

Keith shot him a glare. “I’m literally asking you if you liked anyone. How is that not being supportive of the situation?”

Lance pointed to Keith’s hands. “Then show me your palms.”

“Uh…sorry?” Keith blanched, bewildered.

Lance gestured again. “Show me. Your palms.”

Keith looked down at his upturned hands, then grimaced. He caught Lance’s eye again and when the prince didn’t back down, he deflated. He walked farther in the room and reluctantly displayed his hands.

Lance noted the deep indents of Keith’s nails in the center of his left palm and the red outline of the design on Keith’s sword hilt in his right. Lance couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotions, knowing that Keith was so bothered by the actual procession of potential marriage partners for Lance that he reverted back to his old habits.

“How did you know?” Keith asked, quietly.

Lance’s mouth quirked. “Because I know you. We’ve been best friends since I was nine. You always clench your hands like this when you know you can’t fight someone, but you really, really want to.”

Lance arranged his right hand into a tight fist in demonstration. Keith rolled his eyes, but turned a blushing pink at the cheekbones.

“Do they hurt?” Lance asked, not touching them, but looking at the hands closely.

“No. They just get tense. The muscles seize up. It’s fine,” he said, taking back his hands quickly and putting his left behind his back and his right to sit on his hilt again. “And you didn’t answer my question.”

Lance clicked his tongue. “I don’t see why I have to. It’s a personal decision, is it not?”

Keith chewed on the inside of his bottom lip. “Of course, your highness.”

“We’ll see what happens at the feast. I don’t really know about any of them…” Lance said, casually.

“Don’t you need to escort Princess Allura of Altea for that tour?” Keith asked, feigning a similar casual note.

Lance hummed. “Yeah, I guess so…”

He was glad that he at least knew Princess Allura from several trips to her kingdom as a child. But it seemed as though she might have forgotten him. Or at least acted as though she had. He was considering if he absolutely _must_ choose a bride and if Allura was willing, then maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to marry her.

Lance stood up and headed over to his closet, rifling through his outfits for something still dignified but more comfortable.

“What do you think of Princess Allura?” he asked Keith, as he pulled out a new pastel yellow colored billowing shirt and simple white pants that cut off at his calf.

He took off most of his jewelry, knowing that he would probably need more of a masculine look to compliment Allura’s beautiful femininity.

Keith paused as he considered the notion, turning to show Lance his back as he changed.

“She seemed perfectly suitable. Very…polite and proper,” he said, with a strange tone of voice.

Lance snorted. “What a _perfectly_ political answer.”

He dressed and finished his look with soft shoes, as always. He added only small gold hoop earrings, a single ringed circlet and a few rings before he was done.

“Alright you _polite_ and _proper_ guard, let’s go get her for a tour.”

Keith turned back around, before freezing at the sight. He seemed to be fixated on how less adorned Lance decided to be, a hard conflicted look overtaking his features. Lance raised an eyebrow.

“Yes…?” he asked, prompting him to startle out of focus.

Keith cleared his throat, then strode out the doors.

“Come on, your highness. Your princess awaits.”

Lance sighed, following him out. This was going to get very complicated it seemed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance and Keith are forced to face the reality of their future

Keith stood a ways back as the royals walked down a well-worn path through the gardens. Allura’s personal guard stayed level with him, a woman named Romelle with blonde hair arranged in two braids down to her back.

“So, you’re Prince Leandro’s bodyguard?” she asked, pulling his attention as he was staring at Lance’s easy and familiar expression while talking to Allura.

Keith looked over and blinked. “Uh…yeah…and you’re Princess Allura’s, I presume?”

_Which is why we’re walking together in the first place…_

She giggled and nodded. “Yeah. I swore to her about two years ago. And I see your hair is fairly long yourself and with your Northlands heritage…You must have sworn to Prince Leandro a long time ago.”

“Yeah…five years now,” he said, turning back to watch as Lance must have said something really funny because Allura’s head fell back in laughter.

“You must really like him, then.”

Keith nearly tripped over himself and he whipped his head around. “ _I’m sorry?”_

Romelle chuckled. “Otherwise you wouldn’t stay as long as you have. You must care about him.”

Keith huffed out a sigh of relief to settle his raging nerves and shrugged.

“I swore to him for life. There’s no other path for me,” he said, as though that was no other answer to have.

Romelle seemed to be confused by the notion. “Well, yes…I know the oaths that we take. Altea and Varaderia have very similar traditions that way. But…I mean, most of those are just that. Traditions. It’s rare for royal guards to actually stay sworn forever. Do you really plan to only be at Prince Leandro’s side forever? The rest of your life?”

Keith blinked as a hard vice gripped his chest and he turned slowly to stare at Lance’s arm that properly held Allura’s hand. His hand clenched on his sword.

“I don’t mean to pry, I’m sorry. It’s just…I’ve never met a guard that actually plans to stay at their charge’s side their entire life. It’s quite honorable, but…don’t you want a life of your own? Maybe have a family or get married?” she asked, curiously.

“I-well, I just…never really considered that to be viable. I’m not someone…that has that in the cards,” he said, quieter. “Lance saved my life as a child. Before I even swore in front of the court, I already vowed to be…”

_His and his alone_

Keith sighed. “It’s complicated.”

“Oh…” Romelle said, glancing between them, curiously. Her eyes widened and her jaw slackened.

_“Oh…”_

Keith’s chest constricted yet again and he flinched.

“It’s not-,”

“I completely understand.”

Romelle’s voice turned much softer and tender, Keith looked at her quickly. She was looking at the princess ahead of them, longingly. He felt a sudden and inexplicable bond to the girl, as though it all made sense.

“Oh…” he repeated, unable to find the words other than that.

She sighed, forlorn. “Must be some curse on the bodyguards. Maybe that’s why the vows are never truly fulfilled. It’d be such a cruel way to live a life.”

They both stared at their charges, lost in their own minds.

Keith was starting to think that maybe she had a point.

“You know it’s so lovely to see you again, Lance.”

Lance breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh thank gods, so you do remember me?”

As they passed the fountain in the middle of the gardens, Allura stifled a laugh behind her hand. Her bright eyes sparkled up at him.

_Gods, she really is beautiful…_

“Of course I do! I was actually worried you forgot _me,”_ she said, playfully swatting at his arm. “You and your suave ‘you can call me Lance’.”

She lowered her voice to mock him by repeating his line from the processions and he scoffed.

“The first time we see each other in years and you decide to insult me. How typical.”

Allura hummed. “Well, considering the boy I knew has grown into such a dashing man, I had to find a way to take you down just a peg.”

Lance chuckled, patting her hand at his elbow. “If we’re talking about who won the growth competition, I’d have to say you have me beat by leagues. You’ve become quite the gorgeous woman, Allura.”

She smiled, genial at him. “Thank you.”

A few moments passed that they were just taking in each other’s appearances, until Lance’s attention was pulled to Keith speaking low to Romelle behind them. He glanced over his shoulder to see his bodyguard talking to Allura’s bodyguard with a genuine expression of serious contemplation.

“Ah yes, that’s Keith, right?”

Lance snapped back to Allura, then nodded. “Yes, he…uh, he decided to become my bodyguard. About five years ago…”

“Wow…” Allura breathed out, impressed. “That’s quite a long time. But, I still do remember you talking about him…basically for hours when we were kids. You’ve always been close friends, haven’t you?”

Lance hesitated, uncomfortable. “I…yes, he’s…always been one of my best friends. It got a little…awkward around him though. I didn’t…quite know how to interact with him when he decided to swear himself to me. I didn’t…”

He sighed. “I didn’t like the idea that him being around me became his job, rather than something he chose to do because he liked…well, being around me.”

“I see…” Allura said, sounding thoughtful. “I…think I can understand the sentiment.”

“You do?” Lance asked, surprised.

She gave a reluctant and almost pained smile. She subtly glanced over her shoulder to Romelle. Her eyes shined and rolled with new emotion, voice tinged in genuine sadness.

“Yes. I really do…”

Lance knew that look _incredibly_ well. “Oh…I see…”

Allura glanced back up at him, nodding. “How long have you…?”

“Since before I knew what love could actually feel like,” he replied, softly. “I was only nine when we met, but I seemed to just…know.”

She looked very sympathetic. “So this feast and your coming-of-age…”

Lance grimaced, looking up at the trees around them. “Not my idea, for sure.”

She chuckled without really any humor. “I apologize. I feel like I’m making some grave mistake by telling you this. I’m supposed to be wooing you and trying to gain favor for your hand. At least, that’s what my father would like me to do.”

“No, no, don’t apologize. I’m…actually immensely relieved. I was so worried about trying to act as though I truly wanted to… _marry_ someone other than…” he sighed yet again. “Other than him.”

Allura squeezed his arm in solidarity. “Have you ever spoke with him about it?”

Lance gave her a sad smile. “We planned to run away once.”

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “Really? What happened?”

“I was only fifteen,” he said, quietly. “He was just sixteen. I was the one who confessed first, after a night of too much teenage rebellious drinking. I just…saw him laughing and so bright and cheerful, eyes sparkling like the moonlit sky…it just burst out of me. I couldn’t help it. Then I started _bawling_ my eyes out. I thought I had ruined everything. But then he…”

Lance closed his eyes, allowing one moment to reminisce. “Then he told me what I felt was requited. A few weeks passed and we kept our relationship a secret. Met any and every way we could, hidden behind closed doors and down shadowy corners. Even as a secret, it was probably the best time of my life. I felt whole and complete.”

Allura placed another hand on his arm. He opened his eyes and saw just how moved she was.

“And what changed?”

He took a long deep breath before continuing. “He did. He said that we couldn’t keep it up as we were doing it. That we were going to get caught and my parents would be angry with me. That he was just a petty thief and didn’t deserve me. I told him that all I wanted was to be with him. And I said that we should run away. We planned everything out. So that nothing could stand in our way. But when the night came….”

He paused again, tensing. “I was the one who showed up with a packed bag, when he didn’t.”

Allura let out a breath, surprised. “Did he ever tell you why?”

“Never,” he said, resigned. “He said he changed his mind, that it could never work. And he ended things that night. After that, the few months passed and I didn’t see him around the castle anymore. I searched over the island and then I found out he’d bought passage on a ship to Daibazaal. He never even came to say goodbye. He was gone for seven months.”

He glanced over his shoulder to see Keith still talking with Romelle. His eyes fell to the scar on his cheek that reached down to his neck.

“Why did he leave? Why did he come back? What happened in those months in Daibazaal?” Allura asked, imploring.

Lance shook his head. “All questions I’ve asked myself and him over and over. He’s never given me a straight answer. I don’t know if I’ll ever know. He came back and knelt before my father and asked if he could swear himself to me. After that, it was like he was a different person. He was distant and quiet and only spoke when spoken to. It took another two years for him to feel comfortable enough to even acknowledge that we had any kind of history. Mostly because he wanted to insult me.”

Lance shook his head. “As I deserved it. I became…harsh and horrible to him. I disrespected his privacy and comfort levels again and again. I just…kept thinking if I pushed and pushed at him…that he’d come back to me as he was. When we were lovestruck teenagers. But…”

Allura filled it in herself. “He never has?”

Lance sighed, stopped next to a shady tree and leaned against it. The guards stopped as well, then seemed to understand that the conversation needed greater privacy. Keith gave him a lingering look before directing Romelle to stand farther back out of sight.

He watched him go, with a pang in his heart.

“No. It was just a few weeks ago when I found out this feast was going to happen that I decided to try to confront him one last time. He still never answered me, but it was the most I heard him actually affected since before his oaths. I finally realized that…what we had in the past has to stay in the past. That now, I have to look to my future.”

Allura nodded, solemn. “I’m very sorry this has happened to you. But…”

She got closer and laid a hand on his bicep. “If I were to be so bold as to offer a solution to both our problems that may just be the best we can ask for. It may not be happily ever after…but it just might be comfortable enough for both our sakes.”

Lance blinked at the hand before he stuttered out a noise. “Wait…you don’t mean…”

She shrugged, just as resigned as him it would seem. “We would have to talk it over more logistically…but, I’m still not promised to anyone and I think that I won’t ever be truly happy with anyone besides…”

Allura cast a look down the path to where the guards had walked off.

“And I’m understanding that you’re just the same. And we feel at least a familiarity towards each other, do we not?”

Lance took her hand in his and wove their fingers together. She looked up at him, smiling a little.

“Allura…that would mean being bound to each other forever. Are you sure that you’re ready for that?” he asked, softly.

She chuckled, nervously. “Do you really think that we have much of a choice in that matter?”

Lance winced a little, before looking down at the ground. “I…I suppose you’re right. And…of everyone here, I do think I would be most comfortable with you…”

She patted the hand he held hers with, fondly holding it between her palms.

“It’s just an offer for now. You can wait to make your decision. See how you feel at the feast tomorrow. Keep your eyes open and your heart may just find that one person still.”

Lance stared into her kind, gentle blue eyes that were so similar to his own. He felt such a strong kindred spirit within her. If there was an absolute that he had to marry someone for advantage and that was of the same status as him, she’d be the best candidate for both his kingdom and his broken heart.

“I’ll think about it. Thank you, Allura.”

She smiled, reaching up and cupping his cheek.

“I hope that maybe in time, things will work out as they should. Fate sometimes takes the long way around to give us what we need.”

Lance smiled, grateful for the sentiment. Even as he had cursed fate for years.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally Prince Leandro's birthday. Keith is stubborn and won't admit he's made some mistakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So finals season is kicking up into high gear so updates might come a bit more sporadic for a few weeks so I can keep up with my studies but don't worry! After the first week of December I should have tons of time to focus on this

Keith got up long before sunrise and went _hard_ on the training grounds on the day of the feast.

He couldn’t get the image out of his head of Lance staring after Allura after she went back to her room. His eyes had been bright and thoughtful and then when he went through the rest of his duties with a strange quiet air. Like he was trying to figure out a really difficult puzzle.

Keith grunted as he did a flying kick at the straw dummy and it knocked so far out of the ring that it slammed against the wall.

He panted and cursed under his breath. He pulled out his hair from the messy updo he had and it flowed down his back. He was still stuck in a strange frustrated bubble.

“Well, you’re certainly lively this morning.”

Keith spun to see Shiro at the door, suited for his own training. He sighed as his brother figure came in and threw him a damp washcloth.

“Any reason why?”

“Not that you get to hear,” Keith mumbled as he wiped down his neck and face.

Shiro hummed, picking up a light staff and twirling it in his one hand. “So, what’s the story on Prince Leandro and Princess Allura of Altea?”

Keith tensed, looking away. “How’d you hear about that?’

“Maids talk. And once the maids start talking, we all hear it,” he said, smirking. “Adam actually heard it before me from the herbalist staff.”

“There isn’t a story,” Keith said, turning away and grabbing a staff.

They circled each other, already knowing they were going to spar before they had to even ask. Keith made the first move at Shiro’s shoulder, his reliable weak spot. Shiro knocked the staff away without a second thought and went for Keith’s right knee, an old injury from slipping down a hill after a heavy rain.

Keith was too distracted by other things and he was swept out and he hit the mat on his back. He groaned and laid there for a moment, indulging in self-pity. Just a moment.

Shiro sighed, crouching next to his head. “You say there isn’t a story. But is there a silent ‘yet’ after that?”

Keith closed his eyes. “Please, Shiro. It’s Lan-Prince Leandro’s birthday. The feast…all the suitors. Just…I can’t talk about it, okay?”

“I thought you said you would be happy about him getting married to someone?” he asked, hand offering to right him up to stand.

He accepted the hand and settled into another defensive position. Shiro mirrored him and they started again.

“I _am…._ happy,” he grumbled. “Princess Allura seems to be a good person and seems to have a genuine connection with him. And I get along with her guard.”

Shiro perked up, surprised. “Wait, you made a friend?”

“Saying I get along with someone is not synonymous as making a friend.”

“For you it basically is.”

Keith rolled his eyes, blocking another jab to his knee and rolling to the other side of the mat, before spinning and blocking Shiro’s staff with two hands on either side of the staff. He pushed up and threw Shiro back and then hooked Shiro’s staff quickly while he was disoriented and twisted it out of his hand.

Shiro grinned, pleased. “Good instincts.”

“Thanks,” Keith said, smirking.

They finished their impromptu sparring session and Keith headed over to grab his shirt from the ground. They settled on the ground next to each other, backs against the wall. Keith took a look at the sun and made an assumption it was just after twilight.

“Why are you up so early?” Keith asked, curious.

“Feast means a lot of people around the castle and a lot of people around the castle means more opportunities for attacks,” he said, shrugging his armed shoulder. “Need to stay alert all day. What about you?”

Keith looked up to the ceiling, sighing. “Haven’t been sleeping great.”

Shiro looked at him for a bit of time. “Keith…I know what you’ve said about being Prince Leandro’s bodyguard and…and I know that there’s some parts of your past that you don’t want to share. But, I think…maybe what you decided to do when you came back from Daibazaal wasn’t…for the betterment of your well-being in the long run. I think this feast has given you a reality check and now you’re struggling with the position you hold. And you shouldn’t feel ashamed for doubting. It’s natural.”

“I’m not doubting or rethinking or anything,” Keith snapped, irritated. “Why does everyone assume they know what’s best for me? I make my own choices and I _chose_ to stay at Lan-Prince Leandro’s side. I swore it.”

Shiro lifted a hand to show innocence. “Alright, okay, I believe you. I’m just worried that…at some point it’ll get too difficult for you to see him finally….finally move on.”

“I need to go,” Keith said, standing up and brushing off his pants. “Lanc-,” he cringed, teeth clenching. “ _Prince Leandro_ needs to wake up early because of the feast.”

Shiro sighed. “Go on. Tell him I said happy birthday.”

Keith left with a hard tension in his shoulders and neck. When he got back to his room, he spent longer washing up than he usually would, as he would be getting a lot more scrutiny as the star of the evening’s bodyguard. He even managed to wash his hair out and he rung it out a few times. He braided it around his head and pinned it securely.

He decided to add silver cufflink earrings and changed into his best-looking guard outfit. He strapped his sword and two daggers to his thigh.

A knock sounded at his door and he nearly jumped out of his skin. No one ever came to seek him out.

He opened it up and it was a young squire girl with a package in her arms the size of her entire body. She grinned at him.

“Delivery from the Master of the weapons guild,” she said, brightly.

“Oh, yes,” Keith said, hastily taking it out of her arms. “Thank you.”

He set it against his wardrobe and took the letter that accompanied it. He then fished out a few coins from his belt.

“Here. Sorry it must have been heavy.”

She took the money with wide eyes and shook her head. “No apology necessary, Sir. I’m very strong!”

She lifted an arm and flexed her developing muscle. He assumed that she must only be about eleven or twelve, but for that young, it was pretty impressive.

Keith chuckled, nodding. “I can see that. Good for you.”

The squire giggled and then bowed low to him. “I have more deliveries to make. I shall be off. Tell the highnesses that I wish them a happy birthday!”

“I will. What’s your name?” he asked.

She straightened and saluted with two fingers. “I’m Kolone!”

Keith nodded, giving her a smile. “Nice to meet you, Kolone. I’m Keith.”

“Lovely to make your acquaintance, Sir Keith!” she said, before turning. “I hope you have fun at the feast tonight!”

Keith closed the door and opened up the letter.

_Dear Sir Keith Kogane of the Oceans Castle guards,_

_I managed to style one of my pet projects in just the nick of time for your gift for Prince Leandro. I admit, it was a challenge to keep it so understated as it is that I know his Highness adores his lovely things. It’s a work of art in the end, though. I do appreciate your eye for simple elegance. Always have. I hope this will make him happy._

_Ryner_

Keith grinned at the familiar script, after having so many weapons forged by the Olkarian expert. He turned his attention to look at the bow she made for Lance. He opened up the package and nodded.

“Incredible as always, Ryner.”

Just after full sunrise, a knock came at his door.

Lance was already wide awake, after a restless night of tossing and turning. He sighed as he sit up in bed.

“Come in!”

The door opened and the familiar face of Keith walked in, but he didn’t look like he usually did.

Lance stared as Keith seemed to have cleaned up some. He even wore some earrings and an embroidered vest over his dark grey shirt. It had a simple design, black cotton with silver trimmings and swirls over the bottom hem. His thin pants ended at just under his knee and hugged him tight with the usual sword and the addition of daggers at his thigh.

_Seriously? Just when I was trying to figure out if I should get married?_

“Your highness,” Keith greeted, with a practiced bow. “May I wish you a happy birthday?”

Lance cleared his throat, standing and dressing in his robe. “I will allow such familiarity. If you have a gift prepared, that is.”

Keith stood and gave a small smile, before bending down outside the door, dragging in a package. Lance gaped, actually surprised.

“I didn’t think you’d actually get it. Oh, can I open it now?” he asked, excited.

Keith carried it over to sit on the trunk at the end of his bed. “I don’t think I could possibly keep you from opening a gift on your birthday, sire.”

Lance clapped his hands and bounded over to immediately open it up. He let out a small gasp.

“Wow…” he breathed, entranced.

The bow was made from imported wood, he could tell. It was inspired greatly from the Northlands, a simple design in which only at the grip were there just small carvings of ocean waves in the dark wood. It stained and polished to a deep brown, unstringed. The accompanying quiver had just a bit more flare, the holster with rolling tides and waves with a dozen specialty made arrows.

“Gods, Keith this is incredible…” he said, grinning. “Did Ryner do this?”

Keith nodded, as Lance tested out the grip and height for his arms.

“I…gave her the ideas for the design. And asked for the quiver to match. But there’s one more surprise,” he said, lifting out the quiver.

Lance looked over as Keith pulled out a second box, hidden under the bow. Keith took the liberty to open it himself, presenting Lance with one of the most beautiful daggers he had ever seen in his life.

Varaderian ocean gems littered over the sheath and hilt, also in a rolling wave pattern. It had dark grey metal insets and when Lance set down his bow, he picked up the dagger and unsheathed it. The blade was sharpened to a dangerous point.

“Keith…I don’t know what to say…this is so… _beautiful,”_ he said, awestruck. “It’s gorgeous. How-this couldn’t have just been some last minute addition? You only had a few days!”

Keith gave a self-deprecating smile. “I…actually had that commissioned over three years ago. I just…drew it one day. And I knew it was meant to be yours. But…I never had the courage to give it to you. It’s been sitting in my wardrobe ever since.”

Lance stared at him, then thumbed over the gems in the hilt. “Three… _years_ ago?”

“Yeah, I’m…sorry. I was really uncertain of where I stood with you…when…” Keith trailed off, looking away.

 _When I left and then came back with no explanation,_ was tacked on to that without having it needed to be voiced aloud.

Lance huffed a laugh. “Over three years ago…Yeah, I probably wouldn’t have taken it well, you’re right. But now…”

He sheathed the dagger carefully. “Now I can promise to treasure this. It’s a masterpiece. Thank you, Keith. For all of it. It…really means a lot to me.”

Keith settled into a small smile, nodding. “It was my honor, your highness.”

Lance put all the weapons away in their boxes and then waved a hand.

“Now go draw me a bath and then we have breakfast with the whole royal family. Ugh, Rachel is going to be ridiculous,” he said, groaning.

Keith rolled his eyes and headed back to the bathroom.

“The usual, sire?”

“Make it double the smelling salts. It’s going to be a long day of people fawning over me. I’ve got to make sure I don’t smell like it.”

Keith’s deep chuckle echoed off the tiled bathroom and Lance grinned.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family strife and a birthday party to get ready for

“You know it’s my birthday, too!” Rachel said, almost whining. “It’s my coming-of-age, too!”

Lance sighed, reaching over and wrapping his twin’s hand in his. She looked over with a petulant pout.

“If I could switch places with you right now, I would,” he said, under his breath. “I never asked for this.”

Rachel deflated and she frowned. “But everyone’s all focused on you. You love attention like that.”

Lance shook his head. “Not like this.”

The rest of the table had ignored the girl’s whines mostly and engaged in their own conversations. Lance had been drawn to himself and picked at his food, only thinking about the guard at the end of the hall and his new bow and dagger in his room.

“You really don’t want to get engaged?” his twin asked, quietly. “Why is it such a big deal to you? Just because you’re getting married, doesn’t mean you have to actually fall in love. We’re royalty, that’s just what happens.”

Lance released her hand and set back against his seat. He glowered at his barely eaten breakfast.

“Easy for you to say. You fell in love and got engaged all at the same time. To a lord from Olkari, no less. I have to choose someone I barely _know._ And I can’t expect them to move here. I’m sixth in line. What is there for me to inherit other than some land? It would be more likely that I have to move to their country and household. Which means…” he trailed off, growing even more discontent.

“I’ll have to leave Varaderia.”

Rachel’s fork clattered to her plate. “Wait…no one ever said anything like that!”

The table fell silent at Rachel’s outburst and she whipped around to their parents.

“Father, what does he mean? Leave Varaderia? Are you sending him away?” she asked, eyes bulging.

The king sighed, straightening to address the table. “Rachel, no one’s _sending_ Lance away. But, it does depend on who he decides to marry. If it’s to one that has a title and position to inherit, such as a prince or princess, then yes he’d most likely need to move away and be one of their household. He’s the youngest of our children. It’d make more sense.”

Lance grimaced as he thought about Allura, who was the only child of King Alfor. Which would mean that he would not only have to move away to Altea…but he’d be _king._

“Rachel-,” Lance said, quietly trying to calm his twin.

“No! No, I won’t let that happen!” she said, horrified. “He’s family! He needs to stay!”

The rest of the siblings all looked to Lance with expressions of sadness, confusion and concern. He just laid a hand on Rachel’s shoulder. She turned back with watery eyes.

“Luis and Markos are already moved out, though. This will be like that,” Lance said, carefully.

She shook her head. “No, no! It’s-it’s just temporary with them! They’re coming back! You’d…you’d move away for forever!”

_“Rachel.”_

They both winced at the sound of their mother’s voice cutting in. They all turned to see their mother as dignified and still showing a fond love over the two of them. Lance caught her eye, her softening and giving him a smile.

“Leandro is being very mature about this. We had already discussed the chances of him having to move from the castle. He was very understanding. It makes sense why he’s taken so long to find a partner. He must have known this was going to happen,” she said, sounding proud of Lance’s behavior.

Lance, however, knew that the reason he’d taken so long was nothing about leaving Varaderia. In fact, he’d already tried to leave of his own accord. It had always been about Keith. But he held his tongue.

Rachel’s lip wobbled and she turned to him, clutching at his arm. “But…but we’re _twins._ We can’t be separated! I don’t want you to go!”

“We don’t know what’s going to happen,” Lance said, patting her hand. “Things may work out that I can stay. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Honestly, you can’t even tell that Lance is the baby. Rachel’s so much more immature,” Veronica piped in, rolling her eyes. “Maybe him leaving will make you finally grow up.”

“Hey!” Rachel yelled, whipping around the glare at her. “Ronnie you are such a _catty_ bitc-,”

Lance smacked a hand over her mouth. “ _Okay_ …you know, I think I’m pretty full and I have so much to do before the feast tonight, so I think I’m going to excuse myself. Lovely time with the family, as always! Come on, birthday girl, I think we need some twin bonding time.”

He pulled Rachel up by the arm and hastily made his way out the dining hall, closing the door behind them with a sigh.

True to protocol, both their bodyguards stepped forward and bowed at the same time. Rachel crossed her arms and her face pinched. Lance turned to her and put his hands on his hips.

“What is wrong with you? Ronnie had a point, you’re supposed to be the older twin! Yelling at Mother and Father? Do you have a _death wish?_ And you’re supposed to _get married_ to La-Sai in just a few months! And you’re acting like a child! I’m the one that should be able to whine and pout because I’m having to choose a bride from a list rather than actually fall in love! And yet, here I am, doing everything I’m supposed to without a single complaint!” he ranted, arms waving around frustratedly.

Rachel scoffed. “You’ve been anything but accommodating. You’ve been huffing and pouting for weeks. Just because it’s not out loud, doesn’t mean we all don’t see that you hate this.”

“Yeah, I fucking _do_ hate this, Rachel. Incredible assessment. Gods, I’m…it’s supposed to be our _birthday_ and shit’s already-,” he let out a noise of irritation. “Alright, whatever. I’m going back to my room. I don’t have to come out until the feast tonight and I’m not going to. Come on, Keith.”

“Yes, your highness.”

Lance spun to march down the hallways as he heard Keith follow at a proper distance. He muttered curses under his breath in his mother tongue and opened the double doors of his room with more force than necessary. He could hear Keith hesitate at the doors, probably wondering what would be appropriate. Lance sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace and turned to lay his head on his arms.

“Call for more food. I barely ate. And eat with me. I know you haven’t had anything.”

Keith nodded, a hint of a familiar smile. “Yes, sire.”

Hunk brought a platter of cheeses, bread, grapes, honeyed sweet rolls and coffee pretty soon after being called. Keith set up the table and they sat together to eat. Lance quickly tore into the sweet rolls, moaning when he ate.

Keith had to fight to keep a straight face at the noise. “Why didn’t you eat that much at the breakfast?”

Lance twitched and slowed down his chewing. He swallowed and leaned back in his chair.

“Wasn’t…appetizing with the family. It was all like…they were looking at me like I was going to fall sick or something. And when I said Rachel was going to be ridiculous, it was an understatement. She blew up at the idea that me getting married would maybe end up with me having to leave Varaderia,” he said, frowning.

Keith froze, taking in those last words like they were stabs to his chest. Lance flicked his eyes up and then his eyes widened.

“Hey, don’t freak out. We still don’t know anything. I haven’t made a decision yet.”

Keith shook his head, trying to keep his appearance casual. “It’s…it’s fine, your highness. You’re my…employer. It’s not like I would have any say on the matter.”

Lance blinked then narrowed his eyes and gaped. “ _Employer?”_

Keith cringed. “Or…ah…” he sighed. “Sire, I don’t know what you want me to say. I can’t…I’m not someone who can appropriately…”

“No, you’re right,” Lance said, cutting him off. “It’s my own choice, right? Just like it was your choice to swear to me?”

Keith fell silent, unsure of what to say there. Lance just continued to eat. He was more irritated and bothered, eyes dulling dark.

“Your-,” Keith closed his eyes hard and then opened them again.

 _“Lance_ , I know this decision has been weighing on you. I just don’t want to add myself to that burden. You shouldn’t have to think about me when you decide something as important as who you want to marry.”

Lance’s expression turned unreadable and closed off, staring into the center of the sweet rolls in front of him.

“How could I _not_ think of you when I try to decide who I want to-,” Lance cut himself off, deflating.

Keith’s heart hammered in his chest and he clenched his fist in his lap. Lance shook his head, turning away from him.

“I think I want to be alone right now.”

Keith immediately stood, as was his duty as a guard. But as Lance’s friend, he still hesitated. Lance didn’t change in his resolute determination, so Keith bowed quickly and exited out the door.

The entire day he stood at attention, growing bored at the lack of stimulation. It’d been a while since he had a day of just standing outside Lance’s door. The prince was always continuously hyper and active, flitting from one activity to another.

As the midday hour approached, he had a visitor for himself, rather than the prince.

It was Shiro and Adam, both looking haggard and bothered by something.

“Keith, we have to speak to you about the prince’s safety,” Shiro said, quietly.

Keith’s heart jumped and he nodded, glancing at the closed door and following them down the hallway a little.

Adam was stern and serious, an unusual thing for him. “We’ve gotten reports of suspicious characters around the castle. One of which was reported to be posing as a guard for another royal from the Northlands. When followed up, the royal was nowhere to be found and the guard had vanished.”

“Wait, what?” Keith asked, alarmed. “What’s going on?”

“We don’t know for sure,” Shiro said, shaking his head. “I have theories, but I’m trying to just stick to my duty at the Queen’s side. We came to tell you as your charge is the most at-risk.”

“Thanks for telling me. I’ll keep a sharp eye out,” Keith said, nodding.

“Be careful,” Adam said, squeezing his shoulder in familiarity.

When they left, Keith headed back to his post and made sure to have all his weapons. He wondered if he should warn the prince, then decided against it. It was his birthday and he was already stressed enough as it was.

Keith would just have to stay vigilant.

As always.

Lance paced over his suite with a vengeance.

“Stupid Keith with his stupid eyes and stupid-,” Lance groaned, flailing his arms. “Damn it, damn it. I don’t want to get _married._ I don’t want any of this, _ugh_!”

He threw down his hands on the railing of the balcony. He observed the sun’s position and groaned again. It was about time he started getting ready.

He readied a bath himself, adding his best salts and oils, taking a private moment to work out his frustrations and pent up activity. It calmed his nerves just a bit, as he fell into fantasies of long raven hair in his clutches and pale skin reflecting the moonlight. He only felt guilty as it was still somewhat an invasion of privacy as the man in question was standing just outside his door.

Lance stomped over to his closet to rifle through his best clothes, pulling out the ones that were most approved by his mother. A soft pale blue set that accented his eyes, while still giving them the spotlight. It crisscrossed in sashes over his chest and stomach to cover everything and leaving his arms bare. His pants were tight on his legs, but still maneuverable for dancing. He added silver bands on his biceps and an ornate crown with Varaderian gems glittering in his brown hair. His earrings dripped with blue opals and a necklace with a single white diamond stone.

He sighed in the mirror, feeling uncharacteristically insecure in his appearance. He wasn’t used to all the attention based on how he would look with another person. It was a lot of pressure.

At that moment, there was a knock at his door.

“Come in!”

Keith opened it, then before he could even feign propriety with a bow, froze. His eyes widened comically as he took in Lance’s appearance. Lance stalled, too.

“Uh…what-what do you think? This look good enough for a feast in my honor?” Lance asked, not even trying to seduce him. He was just genuinely asking for his opinion.

Maybe it was the tiny tremble in Lance’s voice, that Keith slowly relaxed into a soft, fond smile. It sent Lance’s heart into overdrive. He hadn’t seen that smile in years.

“You look… _lovely_ ,” Keith said, quietly.

The guard cleared his throat and bowed his head. “Y-your highness.”

As Lance’s face burst into heat, he simultaneously _cursed_ fate in his head.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance's birthday celebrations commence and further tensions rise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know its been a while, but the semester's almost done, so i should be getting pretty focused on more stories! I have two or so oneshots i've been tinkering with for the past quarantine months (so nearly a year now its crazy)

The feast was extraordinary, something that Keith hadn’t seen since Prince Markos got married over four years before.

The ballroom was decked out in all kinds of silver trimmings and blue silks, as was the colors of the McClain house. All the royals were dressed in their finest, including the smallest of the families and the infants.

It only solidified the vast trenches of distance between Lance and him.

Keith stuck to the raised dais’ side against the wall, out of sight as the nobility ran amuck with food and drink and loud raucous laughter. It wasn’t like the Northlands, in which people were taught to be soft-spoken and properly formal with each other, which Keith appreciated. The feast consisted of friendly chatter and easy familiarity.

Lance was at the center, as he always should be, arms locked with his twin. He entertained many marriage partners for a drink and a dance around the hall. He smiled genially to all of them, speaking to them the appropriate amount.

It was until Princess Allura approached that Lance bowed to her and she grinned, taking his hand. He led her through five more dances than he had all the others, laughing with her and twirling her like the vision she was.

Keith was staring at the picture so hard, he missed the slow sidling up of his new acquaintance.

“They look good together, don’t they?”

He jumped out of his focus, turning to Romelle, who was sharing a similar bittersweet look on her face. He let out a soft hum, glancing over to look at the rest of the attendance, acting as though he was still on high alert as was his _job._

“I suppose so,” he mumbled, not wanting to go much further than that.

Romelle laughed a little under her breath. “We may start seeing more of each other, in the future.”

Keith grunted. “I suppose so.”

“Unless this makes you reconsider your position?” she asked, eyeing him in her peripherals.

“Of course not. I knew what I was getting into,” Keith said, gruffly.

Romelle nodded, appeased. “Then I suppose you won’t mind me offering my own proposition.”

Keith startled, looking at her in shock. She was looking just as anxious as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

“It might make things easier for the both of us,” she said, softly.

Keith blinked at her, shocked. “It won’t satisfy either of us even the barest amounts.”

She looked at him with an eyebrow raised. “It wouldn’t? I’m not blind to your rugged looks. It might not be my first pick, but it could be something worth a lifetime.”

Keith chuckled, shaking his head. “I meant by the fact that I have a very…specific taste. That wouldn’t include your own attributes. Even if I can still admire your beauty.”

“Oh…” she said, still looking confused. Then it was as though a lightbulb went off.

“ _Ohhhh….”_ She drew out the word as she realized what he meant.

Then she giggled, smacking his elbow. “Well, why didn’t you just say so? There’s plenty of blessed men among our ranks as well. You’d be amiss to just ignore them for someone you can never have.”

Keith huffed, rolling his eyes. “You sound like my brother. I’m doing just fine as I am.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” she said, sarcastically. “And that’s why you look like you want to eviscerate Princess Allura on sight.”

He didn’t say anything to that, instead choosing to look back at Lance and Allura still dancing. They laughed together about something. It grated on Keith’s hard-fought sanity.

They finally broke apart, as Lance’s cousin stepped up. Lotor smiled at both of them, which soured the mood between them instantly. Keith narrowed his eyes and both him and Romelle immediately put hands to their swords in case he tried anything.

Lotor was known among the castle court for vying for Veraderia’s throne, even as he was first in line to Daibazaal’s throne. He tried to gain favor to marry into the family, but neither the King nor Queen was buying it. He was then only invited to events that they couldn’t _not_ invite him to without looking suspicious of his intentions.

Keith scanned Lotor over, looking for any reason to be suspicious. It was when he bent to whisper something into Lance’s ear and the grimaced smile dropped from Lance’s face in none masked _horror_ that Keith felt a pull to intervene.

But he couldn’t make two steps before Lotor bid Allura a goodbye and with an arm around Lance’s shoulder that he was led out to the courtyard doors. Keith touched Romelle on the shoulder before carefully making his way over to follow.

The royals went out into the courtyard, Keith maintaining a safe distance, hand on his sword. Lance very subtly looked over Lotor’s shoulder to see him and he relaxed minutely. Keith signaled with one hand that he was safe.

“You don’t need to be so sneaky, little Galra.”

Keith cursed under his breath, as Lotor turned them both around. Keith glanced to see they were now completely alone in the courtyard and no one seemed to have noticed them leave. That was strange. It was Lance’s birthday, after all.

“I’m not here to hurt my cousin,” Lotor said, bringing Keith’s attention back to them. Lance was nervously looking between them.

“I believe you, your highness,” Keith said, properly. “It’s my duty to stay at my charge’s side at all times. It was my oath.”

Lotor chuckled, as Lance winced a little at the strength on his shoulder.

“Of course it is. Well, I’m just here to speak with little Leandro, that’s all. No need for this dramatic posturing,” he said, waving him off.

“It’s fine, Keith,” Lance said, finally. “You can stay, just further back.”

Lotor seemed annoyed with this, but Keith was relieved for the permission to stay. Lotor didn’t say anything as they continued on and Keith followed, staring at Lotor for any wrong move.

It had been his first mistake, as he missed all the others lurking in the shadows.

Lance’s time with Allura was spent well, friendly and having more fun than he ever thought he could at a feast meant for him to find his partner. It still wasn’t perfect, he could still feel the sharp eyes on the back of his head from the corner of the dais where Keith stood at attention.

“They’ve both been staring at us this entire time,” Allura said, amused.

“We look good,” he said, winking at her.

“That we do,” she said, laughing aloud.

Lance twirled her yet again, bringing her back to him. He felt calm and comfortable around her, but knew deep down it was like he was dancing with his sister rather than a lover. It was bittersweet in taste, but he kept smiling as if he were still glad for her.

“May I cut in?”

Lance startled at the end of the dance, to turn to his cousin. It immediately shattered the warm atmosphere around them and he shared an apprehensive look with Allura.

“Lotor…who would you want to dance with?” Lance asked, awkwardly.

His cousin laughed, bending down and placing a hand very uncomfortably on his hip. His lips traced the outside of his ear as he whispered.

“Actually I was hoping for a moment alone. I’ve heard some interesting gossip concerning you and a certain foreign guard. Wanted to see if maybe you could enlighten me,” Lotor whispered, tone dripping with an accusation.

Lance’s veneer dropped from his face along with his stomach in fear and he struggled to keep from looking for Keith. He nodded as Lotor wrapped an arm around his shoulders to lead him out.

“Lance?” Allura asked, nervously.

“Oh, just some family business, you can understand,” Lotor said, winking at her.

“It’s fine, Allura. Don’t worry,” Lance said, smiling as best he can.

As they walked out, he could still feel the burning eyes on the back of his head. He turned to look over Lotor’s shoulder and caught the gaze of his very suspicious personal guard. It both relieved him and made him more anxious for a different reason. Lotor huffed, as they entered the evening air and found themselves alone in the courtyard, away from the guests of his feast.

Lotor was immediate to catch on to the presence and forced Keith out of the shadows.

But Lance wouldn’t let him turn away Keith, so they continued with the addition of his guard following.

“You are… _fond_ of that one, huh?” Lotor asked, smirking.

Lance didn’t answer that. “How’s Daibazaal, Lotor? How is Uncle?”

“Way to change the subject. If you must know, my father is very…let’s just say he’s _restless._ He believes that the other nations are trying to take advantage of Daibazaal’s advancements and industry, without properly giving what they owe. He’s starting to grow frustrated with how Galra are treated in foreign lands. So when a little birdie told me that your personal guard was of the Northlands and you both have… _certain affections_ for one another, I just had to come see for myself,” he said, with a lazy gait.

Lance gulped. “I don’t know what you might be talking about. Keith is just my childhood friend. He decided to swear himself of his own volition. He stayed in Varaderia for no other reason that he liked the island.”

Lotor laughed, throwing his head back a little. “Oh of course, that’s why he stayed. No other reason. I’m sure.”

Lance was growing more and more uncomfortable. “Lotor, if you have something to say to me, then go ahead and say it.”

His cousin stopped in the middle of the courtyard, turning so that they face each other. Keith looked ready to step in, but Lance signaled to stay back out of the way. Lotor let go of his shoulders, glancing between the two of them.

“He’s a feisty one, I can tell,” Lotor said, smirking. “Even under all that proper guise, he seems like he’s more Galra than anything. And the looks of that hair…so very loyal indeed.”

“What do you want?” Lance asked, forcibly. “I won’t play your games, cousin.”

“I _want_ you to stay in line,” Lotor said, losing his smile. “If you were to marry Princess Allura, then that means _you_ would be the one to rule Altea with her. And I can’t have that happen.”

“What does Altea have to do with you?” Lance fired back, angrily. “My marriage is none of your concern. Neither is Allura.”

Lotor sighed. “I didn’t want to have to do this. But you leave me no choice. If you propose to Princess Allura, I will inform my aunt and uncle of Keith’s not-so-secret affection for you. And he will be banished from your side without a second thought.”

“Wha-w _hy?”_ Lance asked, stepping back and shaking his head. “He-it’s not like that! We’re just friends.”

“Even if that were true,” Lotor said, chuckling at the denial. “Which I know for sure it isn’t…it wouldn’t matter. It’d be the word of me, the first son of Daibazaal against a foreign petty thief.”

Lance snarled, furious. “Don’t talk about him like that. He has twice the honor than you will ever have.”

Lotor smirked, triumphant. “Understand my position, cousin. And think on what to do.”

With that, he left Lance reeling. Keith watched him leave with narrowed eyes. As soon as the two of them were alone, he rushed to Lance’s side.

“Are you okay, sire? Did he say anything?” Keith asked, immediately.

Lance grimaced. “Nothing really. It’s fine, I’m fine.”

“Lance…” Keith whispered, persistently.

He was about to break down and tell him everything, when Keith suddenly whipped around. He unsheathed his sword with a brandish, alert.

“What-?”

“Stay behind me, your highness. I heard something,” Keith whispered, reaching down with his non-dominant hand. He swiped up his dagger and pushed it into Lance’s palm.

Lance looked around, not seeing anybody. “What? Where? What are you talking about?”

Keith shushed him, tense. Lance stood back to back with him, trying to see who was setting off all of Keith’s alarm bells. The courtyard was silent for the most part, but he did start to hear faint shuffling.

“Sire, I’m going to need you to run when I tell you to. Get back to the party and get Shiro and Adam. I’ll hold off whoever it is,” Keith said, quietly.

“I’m not leaving-,”

He never got a chance to say anything else, when two figures darted out from the shadows and Keith grunted as a blade lashed out to meet his own. Lance cursed as he was met with a dagger just like the one he held.

And then they were fighting.

Lance dodged and ducked under swipes from the armed assailant, as Keith traded blows with the swordsman. They were forced apart and Lance grabbed the wrist of his attacker that held the dagger and expertly wrenched it behind his back, knocking him to his knees.

“RUN!”

Lance didn’t even hesitate to whirl around as Keith had another cloaked figure sneaking up behind him.

“Keith, behind you!” Lance yelled, alerting his guard of the threat.

It was a mistake, as he was distracted and the person he held to the ground pulled himself free and switched their positions so that Lance was knocked to his knees. He gasped in alarm, as his shoulder strained in its socket.

Keith only had time to look panicked, then yet _another_ person darted out and grabbed Keith by the back of his tunic, while the other two grabbed his arms in unison. He was shoved face first into the ground, him struggling with all his might.

Then one last cloaked figure strolled out to stand in front of Lance, as the royal felt helpless in his struggle against the hold on his wrists.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Lance asked, making the assumption that the one in control was the leader.

The figure didn’t reply, as they reached into its cloak and pulled out a wad of white cloth. The figure shot out a hand to grip the back of Lance’s hair and tipped it back. The force of it knocked his crown to the ground.

The wad was shoved over Lance’s nose and mouth, smelling like chemicals and Lance coughed.

“Lance!” Keith yelled out, just before a wad was forced over his face too.

As the world faded into darkness, Lance could only hear Keith’s muffled cries.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance try not to lose hope as they're held captive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for taking so long to keep this going but nothing can be done now lol  
> also some TW for kidnapping, drugging, bondage in captivity (and not the fun kind)

Awareness came back to Keith in a long process.

His head pounded along with his wrists and shoulder. His mind was boggled and clouded, his vision blurring as he blinked open his eyes. It was dark where he was, but he could smell what seemed like seawater underneath chemical residue in his nostrils. He tried to move his mouth, but for some reason was impeded by a cloth gag.

He blinked a few more times, finally getting to where he felt the rest of his body. He was laying on his side, against what felt like wood underneath him. He let out a muffled groan, then as he tried to move his hands to push himself up to a sitting position, he was again impeded.

Shackles were chained to his wrists behind him and so were his ankles. He struggled to figure out what to do.

A sound of a person speaking through cloth caught his attention, muffled cries that weren’t his own. He wiggled onto his other side to see _Lance_ , outfit ripped at one shoulder and hanging off him, jewelry all gone and a gag wrapping around his head. His wrists and ankles were shackled, too. He was sitting against a wooden wall, just a foot or so away from where Keith lay. Keith tried to gasp but got choked in the gag.

He tried to call out to his prince, but what only came out was a pathetic whine and he gathered enough wits to move his knees up and hoisted himself up to sit properly.

Lance’s eyes were wide and terrified, gasping breaths rocking his body. Keith whipped his head around to get a better gauge on where they were.

It had to have been the cell on a ship. With the rocking motion under them and the wooden walls and the smell of saltwater at the forefront. The cell was lined with metal bars and they were alone in an enclosed room. A wooden door the only thing in front of them outside the bars.

Keith grunted as he scooted on his butt to kick out at the bars, hoping they would give at his strength. But they held true.

Lance let out a few more noises, sounding like dissent at the action. Keith sighed, dejected. He turned by using his legs as leverage to look at Lance. The tiny cell meant that they were basically on top of each other.

Lance leaned forward so that he could look over Keith for injuries. He let out a few questioning noises. Keith nodded to him, trying to comfort his prince. Lance sighed in relief. Keith nudged his foot with his own, to try and ask for himself, too.

Lance grunted, shrugging.

The conversation was frustrating, as they both seemed to want to immediately grab at each other and start talking, but couldn’t do anything. Keith moved as close to Lance as possible against the wall, whole side touching. Lance looked over at him, eyes swimming with tears.

Keith leaned close, trying to communicate his regret that he was such a horrible bodyguard. He couldn’t do his _one job._ Lance met him in the middle, laying his forehead against Keith’s. Tears dropped from Lance’s cheeks onto Keith’s shoulder.

The two of them stayed close together, with Lance relaxing into Keith’s side and nuzzling his head into Keith’s shoulder for comfort. Keith couldn’t keep himself from indulging the prince, as their predicament felt like they deserved the moment to themselves.

The ship rocked and he could hear the sounds of crewman on the other side of the door. It was maybe hours before the wooden door opened, revealing two women in pirate gear.

Both of them startled up straight and Keith growled, scrambling to move to his knees. He tried to look as intimidating as possible and block Lance from view.

“Oh, look. The long haired is up,” one of the women said, a large muscled woman with a buzzed undercut.

“ _Aww,_ he’s all protective of the little prince,” the other women cooed, a skinny woman with two long ponytails.

“So now, I’m sure you’re trying to ask ‘who are you?’” The first woman starts, with an exaggerated low voice.

“’What do you want?’” the other continues, on cue.

“’What are you going to do with us?’”

“And you’re probably trying to threaten us like ‘don’t you dare touch him’,” the skinny one said, pointing a finger.

The muscled woman laughed, heartily. “Oh, yeah, we’re so not going to listen to that one, are we?”

“No way, sweetheart,” Skinny said, hand curling around a bar and smiling with a glint in her eye. “But don’t you worry. We won’t let anyone defile you. You’re worth too much. We just _have_ to get you ready to be sold. And no one can recognize you until we get to our employer. So, we’re going to have to make a few changes.”

“Starting with you, long-hair,” Muscles said, unfurling a set of keys on a ring.

Skinny unsheathed a dagger, fast-as-lightning. She reached through the bars to grab Keith by the front of his shirt and with enormous strength, picked him up and slammed him against the cell.

“And if you try anything, I can hit a mouse from twenty feet away,” Skinny said, dragging the point of the dagger against Keith’s cheek. “So then it’s bye-bye pretty long legs over there. I wouldn’t kill him, no, again…he’s worth too much for that. But he could do without an eye…or a finger, don’t you think?”

Keith narrowed his eyes at the two of them, as Lance yelled out indecipherable words in argument. Muscles opened the door, taking Keith from Skinny and without any effort dragged him from the cell. She slammed the door closed and locked it again. Lance stood on shaking legs and yelled more.

Keith could only give him a look that he tried to make it seem like he was going to be fine, but he had a feeling it just looked like he was longing for him. The two pirate women picked him up by his elbows and then thrown out the door to the ground.

The sun assaulted his eyes after so long of being in the dark and he instinctually curled in on himself. He could hear the voices and chatter of a ship around him, as they all stopped to see what happened.

“Ayy, can we play with him?”

“Aw, look pretty little Galra. In those Varaderian silks, oof what a turn on!”

“The long-hair is so annoying though.”

Muscles stuck her fingers in her mouth and wolf-whistled to get the deck to shut up.

“No one is to play with them. They’re our cargo!” she bellowed, obviously one of the ones in charge.

“Aw, come on, cap!” a male voice yelled out, despondent. “Not even a little fondle?”

“Yeah, we’ll be careful! Won’t leave any marks!”

Skinny giggled. “Oh you all are so funny. But, no. No one’s to touch either of them except for us. We can’t take any risks with the sorry lot of you.”

There was a grumble over the deck, disappointed. Muscles grabbed Keith by the middle of his hair and hoisted him up to his knees. He grimaced and grunted from the pressure on his head.

“But you can watch as I hack all this off!”

Keith’s heart seized in his chest and he tried to kick behind him and get them to let him go. Skinny marched around and smacked him around the face.

“Don’t you start trying anything funny, now.”

Keith panted as his face stung. Muscles pulled his hair again, making Keith cry out against the gag.

“Aw, come on little Galra. It’s just _hair,”_ she said, mockingly. “Long-hairs and all their annoying _hang ups._ So irritating.”

Keith growled deep in his throat.

It was not _just hair_ and they knew it _._ It was a physical symbol of his devotion to his oaths. It was a long-held tradition of the Northlands that those that swear themselves to another would not cut their hair until their oaths were broken. Keith decided to keep that tradition for himself in Varaderia, as Lance’s bodyguard.

It was part of himself. His oath and choice to stay at Lance’s side forever. His hair was the embodiment of his loyalty to the man he would always love.

Muscles gathered all of it up in her hands and the jeering crew started chanting.

“Cut it off! Cut it off!”

Keith’s heart hammered and tears burned at his eyes without permission. He struggled to maintain composure as he felt shears at the base of his neck. He bit hard on the gag in his mouth, gnawing to try and get any semblance of control back.

And with a few audible _snips,_ Keith saw as chunks of his long hair fell to the deck around him. The wind of the sea carried some strains off and into the sky. Keith’s breathing stuttered in his chest and squeezed his eyes shut.

A few minutes later, the women decide that he’s done with his haircut and unceremoniously hoists him into the air again and throws him bodily back into the cell. He collapsed to the ground in a heap.

The door shut them alone once more and Lance started whimpering audibly. Keith ignored the new throbbing in his shoulder and pulled himself up to sit with his legs tucked under him. He locked eyes with Lance, who was staring at however he looked now with overflowing eyes.

Lance’s lips quivered over the gag and he walked on his knees to sit in front of Keith. Keith’s head hung down in shame, as it was the greatest tragedy and horror for a long-haired to get forcibly sheared. It was an disgrace on his beliefs and oaths.

Keith’s eyes finally dripped with the tears he had been holding back and Lance whined, leaning forward and nuzzling into Keith’s junction of his neck and shoulder. Keith’s hands had been so tense in fists that he didn’t even notice that he’d been clenching them until Lance’s attempt at comfort.

Keith turned his face into hide in Lance’s neck and he cried.

They slept on and off, never knowing how many days had passed or what time they were woken up. The only times that they were ungagged was the times one of the crew came in to feed them and give them sips of water. And it was always with the threat of death if they try to speak.

They would be pulled one by one a few times so that they would be washed a couple times or changed out of their outfits. Every night they were given time to wash out their mouths on their own, with either pirate women watching them. They were now dressed in cheap wool and cotton, scratchy and itchy against Lance’s skin. Their silks were added to the merchandise to be sold, along with their jewelry and weapons. Keith seemed to be distraught at the sight of his sword and daggers so carelessly thrown with the piles of other merchandise.

Lance was starting to feel the fatigue after what must have been at least a week at sea, only the barest of food and water and his muscles were tensing at the shackles still binding their arms and legs. And it was really starting to smell rancid, with the only way to relieve themselves was the bucket in the far corner of the cell.

Keith was completely lost to him, as the loss of his hair seemed to destroy a part of him. Lance tried everything to get him at least to some degree of activity. To at least stand or walk the length of the tiny cell. Or…well, shuffle the length.

But Keith stayed tucked away in the corner farthest from the bucket, knees pulled up and hands clenched. Lance saw that he had to have broken skin as blood dried on his palms.

Lance whimpered, scooting over to lay over his friend and nuzzle into his shoulder. Those were some of the only times that Keith would stir, as he would turn and lay his cheek in Lance’s hair.

Gods, he wished more than anything on the planet that he could just _talk_ to Keith. Ask him if he was okay. Reassure him. _Something._

But it was all he could do to just nuzzle closer to him, comforting the only way he could. He would rub his cheek over Keith’s shoulder, use his nose to swipe at Keith’s chin to try and get him to buck up.

Keith would just wearily nuzzle back sometimes.

It was the most they’d touched each other in maybe six years.

Lance wondered about his family. How long had it been since they had to have noticed him gone? Had they noticed that Keith was gone too? Were they going to think they ran away together? Were they searching for him on the island or did they already send out ships? _Were_ they searching for him? What was going to happen with Allura? What was going to happen with any of his suitors?

Keith seemed to have caught on to Lance’s panicky thoughts and he turned more bodily so that Lance was more laying against his chest. Lance looked up as Keith made a few small gestures with his chin.

Lance wasn’t sure what any of them meant, but he appreciated that it must have been for Lance’s comfort.

They kept going like that, with Keith finally standing up a few more times and stretching out his legs and hobbling the length of the cell. He came alive more and responded to Lance’s attempts at interaction.

Time went by both agonizingly slow and fast. Their time being captive was spent in much discomfort and Lance got bored fairly quickly. Sometimes they would sit back to back and stretch out their back muscles and shoulder muscles. Their fingers would entwine with each other as they did so.

They found ways to communicate even with the gags and the shackles. Lance preferred to draw symbols over Keith’s palms as they sat back to back, while Keith liked to nudge and grunt to indicate something.

Many times they ended up just cuddling the best they could, as the cell would get cold at night and they weren’t given any blankets or cloaks to keep warm. The best nights in Lance’s opinion were when Keith allowed him to sit in between his separated knees and curl up against his chest.

Those were the nights he would cry the most, though.

It was maybe another week or so with that as their lives. That was when the door finally opened up to reveal the pirate women again, grinning as though this were a different visit. It was, apparently, because they opened up the door and picked both of them up and dragged them to the open air.

Keith seemed to be gutted at the sight of the harbor, evergreen trees and chilly air flowing over them. Lance shivered at it, not used to the cold. He didn’t recognize the place they were at, but it looked like Keith did.

It wasn’t until the bulky woman swept her hand out to the plank down to the pier that he understood.

“Welcome to the port city of Drule.”

Lance knew that name. He knew where they were.

They were in Daibazaal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a little explanation about Keith's hair situation: I kind of had a thought about the fact Lance always called Keith's hair a mullet or whatever, but since this is a fantasy that couldn't be a thing but then I had some thoughts that maybe Keith's hair could still have some kind of importance and it sorta spiraled lmao  
> there are similar cultural traditions around the world with cutting/growing out hair including indigenous/First Nations traditions and Maori/Hawaiian traditions!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are still up in the air about how to escape as they are carted around Daibazaal like cattle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy holidays, here's an angsty chapter lmao

They were unshackled and ungagged at the port, but soon enough drugged again. Keith could only feel moments of lucidity, as they must have been in a carriage, chained to the walls around them.

He felt the bumps along the journey, obviously not wanting to stay close to Drule, in case they were recognized.

Lance was never awake the moments he was, as he would be fed and watered just like on the ship, let out to relieve himself on the side of the road (humiliatingly). He could only stew in his rage at the idea that his _prince_ was getting the same treatment.

He guessed it must have been even more closer to another entire week of traveling and he was feeling the weeks draining on him physically and mentally. He couldn’t keep his awareness long enough to come up with an escape plan, especially when they were smart enough to stagger them being awake. They knew Keith would never leave Lance and it seemed like Lance wasn’t interested in leaving him either. And he didn’t have the strength to escape carrying an unconscious prince.

It was a stark relief when they finally stopped somewhere and were unloaded together, both awake. It was obvious they were both groggy and still under the effects of the drugs. Keith locked eyes with Lance, glad to see him up after so long of being cooped up.

Lance was looking worse than Keith had ever seen him. His hair was shaggy and caked with dirt and sweat, grime accumulated on his skin over his body. He looked like he lost weight over the time of captivity, lips chapped, cracked and bleeding. There were red lines at the edges of his mouth from the gag. His wrists were rubbed completely raw and were scabbed over. His skin was pallid and looking ill.

Keith thought maybe he was genuinely sick. It wouldn’t be surprising in the conditions they’d been living in.

Three weeks of being in and out of awareness and not hearing Lance speak at all was also severely taking its toll on Keith’s mental stability.

“Don’t even think about talking to each other. Don’t try anything or one of you dies,” Muscles said, poking a dagger into Keith’s spine.

Skinny was doing the same to Lance next to him. They traded looks that meant they were going to keep following their orders.

The place they stopped at was a long dirt road that was lined in with trees, but led up to an imposing mansion on a hill ahead of them. The weather was dreary and cloudy, an autumn chill in the air, Keith guessed about midday. Daibazaal must have been at the change of seasons.

The others stayed at the cart, leaving the four of them the only ones on the march up the hill. Keith kept glancing over to see Lance doing the same thing. They obviously wanted to talk to each other again and as the drugs finally wore off completely, Keith was able to get a handle on how he was feeling physically.

His shoulder must have taken a few hits, as it was throbbing painfully. He was weak in the joints and muscles from three weeks of barely any exercise. He was hungry and probably starved and he guessed Lance must be feeling similarly.

He could feasibly take maybe one of the women on, but he wasn’t sure about both. And he wasn’t sure how ready for action Lance was, so he couldn’t count on his help. But it still seemed like a risk to stay on track to the mansion, because he wasn’t sure of how many were in wait for them.

So the current dilemma was: try to overpower the pirates behind them or stay docile up to the mansion and see who is after their heads.

As he checked in on Lance again, he could see his fingers twitching by his sides and a determined glare. Keith knew exactly what that was supposed to mean.

He meaningfully glanced down to his fingers, signaling his plan. Lance stared as his fingers showed the basics, then slowly met his gaze again. He smirked.

Keith mouthed a count as subtly as he could, then both of them whirled together, grabbing the daggers in their hands. It cut into probably both of their palms, but Keith wasn’t worried at all as he didn’t even flinch at the pain.

The pirates were caught off guard, probably convinced they’d broken their wills to escape. Keith audibly growled as he wrenched the dagger out of Muscles’ hand and brought up an elbow right into her nose. Skinny made a noise of pain next to him, but he could only hope that Lance knew what he was doing.

Keith used the dagger to slash at Muscles’ throat and then buried it to the hilt in her shoulder. She roared in pain, making Keith way more satisfied than he should have. He looked to see Lance had Skinny down to the ground, just like he had the figure in the courtyard. But, this time there was no hesitation before he grabbed her by the ponytail and Keith could tell what he was going to do. He grabbed Muscles’ by the top of her hair and he and Lance slammed their heads together _hard._

The pirates slumped to the ground unconscious.

Keith panted from the barest of exertion and then Lance took his hand and Keith only barely remembered to wrench out the dagger. They ran into the trees at the roadside and tried to keep as quiet as possible as they stumbled as far as they could away from the carriage and the pirates.

They didn’t hear anyone after them and they could only go so far until exhaustion tugged at them. They rammed against trees and fell over branches. They held hands to keep themselves together. Lance would shiver sometimes, huddling close to Keith for warmth.

It must have been them running and stumbling for almost an hour, before Lance was the first to collapse.

“Lance…” Keith whispered, catching him. “Hey, okay. We’re resting, it’s okay. Are you okay?”

Lance coughed into his arm and panted into Keith’s uninjured shoulder.

“I’m…okay. Are you okay? Are you hurt? You have to be hurt, you’ve been limping and-and stuff,” Lance whispered, wheezing in his throat.

Keith shook his head. “I’m fine, don’t worry about me. How are you feeling? Do you feel sick?”

Lance shrugged a little. “It’s hard to know what’s sickness and what’s…literally anything that’s happened to us.”

Keith sighed, looking around at the trees to see if there was any sense of shelter around. He spied a large rock just down the hill and he half carried Lance down over to it, letting them both fall against it. Keith sat with his legs tucked under him, turned bodily to face Lance and Lance sat with his back against the rock.

Lance groaned at the change, rubbing at his wrists. Keith felt a harsh stab of guilt for not _protecting_ Lance like he was supposed to. He cradled Lance in his arms and squeezed his eyes shut.

“I’m so sorry, Lance. I’m so _sorry._ I should have been more careful. I should have paid more attention. I should have done my fucking _job._ But I-I let this happen. You’re in danger and it’s all my fault,” Keith said, voice rasping from weeks of silence and just indiscriminate yelling or growling.

Lance reached up a hand and carded his fingers through Keith’s shorter locks. Keith opened his eyes as Lance’s bright blue eyes still shined even after everything.

“Hey, no, no, stop it,” Lance said, sounding just as croaky. “None of this is your fault. _I’m_ the one they’re after. I’m the one that put _you_ in danger. If anything, this is my fault for following gods damned _Lotor_ out of the feast.”

Keith gritted his teeth, feeling the sharp pain of his jaw being kept in the gag for those two weeks.

“I _knew_ he was up to something. I should have stopped it somehow,” Keith said, shaking his head.

“Stop blaming yourself. If you want somehow to make it up to me, which you don’t need to do but whatever, then why don’t you work with me to come up with a plan to get us back home?” Lance said, firmly.

Keith sucked in a deep breath, then nodded. “Okay. Well, first things first, we need to get to a town. As soon as possible. We won’t survive without supplies. But, we have to be as inconspicuous as we can be. The pirates are probably going to look at nearby towns for us first. But, more than anything, you need to see a doctor. Immediately.”

Lance frowned. “Uh, what about you? You look more beat up than I am.”

Keith shook his head. “I’m not important. You’re a _prince._ I’m just a bodyguard.”

Lance was about to scoff and roll his eyes, Keith could see it. But at the thought, he looked at Keith’s head again and then turned incredibly sad.

“Your hair…” he whispered, in mourning.

Keith flinched as if Lance had actually struck him. He reached up to feel the ends, that he hadn’t been able to do before. It was short at the back, just barely touching the back of his neck and fringe hung in his face. He turned his head away from Lance, hand clenching in anger in his shaggy locks.

“I’m so sorry, Keith,” Lance said, desperately grabbing Keith’s face to turn back. “I’m so _sorry_ this happened to you.”

Keith took a few moments to grieve the loss of his hair, the symbol of his devotion and love, then shook his head.

“It’s okay. As long as you’re safe, I don’t care. My oaths could be broken a million times over, my head shaven to my scalp. As long as you’re okay,” Keith said, cupping Lance’s cheeks in his hands.

Lance relaxed into the hold, hand coming up to keep his hand on his cheek. They stared into each other’s eyes for an amount of time, a wonder why they were still doing it, even unshackled and ungagged.

“We need to move soon,” Keith said, reluctantly. He wanted nothing more to just lay and sleep for a thousand years.

Lance nodded and they stood, aching and groaning. They set off again, now trying to find any kind of path back to civilization and any points that could mean they actually survive the night. Keith had figured that a town couldn’t be that far, seeing as how the mansion had to have been for someone and they must have servants living close by from somewhere.

The trees thinned out ahead of them and they staggered together, Keith with a bloody hand on the dagger he stole. He kept a sharp eye out over the spans of the trees, making sure they weren’t followed.

It was silent except for their steps, even as the trees thinned out completely.

They found themselves in a field that overlooked a valley, which nestled a bustling town. Keith sighed with relief, as they headed down, following the road that had a bunch of carriages bumping along.

“So…how are we supposed to not look suspicious when we look like we’ve been shackled and starved and don’t have anything on us except two bloody daggers?” Lance whispered to him, as they were already garnering really odd looks as they crossed the field.

Keith was already trying to figure that one out.

“Usually it’s more suspicious if you try to make it seem like you’re completely fine, when you’re obviously not. So, I guess we come up with a believable story as to why we look like this. And also we need to come up with the reason why you’re Varaderian. You couldn’t hide that even if you tried. You’re way too tan to act like you’re Northlandic,” Keith whispered, as they tried to blend in with the crowd walking along into the town.

“Uh…we got kidnapped?” Lance offered, like a genius.

“Yeah, why don’t we just bust out the truth, huh?” Keith asked, rolling his eyes.

“Well, fine then, what do _you_ suggest?”

Keith sighed, as they found themselves wandering into the town, following the main street. It was a dirt road and cobblestone buildings, with only some meager dozen or so people milling about. They were going to stick out like sore thumbs.

“Ugh, fine. We’ll just act super suspicious here, get treated for our injuries, maybe steal some horses and run. We can’t stay here,” Keith said, shaking his head.

“Oh, so we’re just going to give up on sleeping in an inn for the night?” Lance asked, sounding like he found out someone killed his pet.

Keith grimaced, feeling just as disappointed. “There’s no way we can stay here without drawing the most attention ever. We’re going to have to stick it out until the next town.”

Lance looked almost like he wanted to cry again. “I was dreaming of beds, you know. At least a gods damn _pillow.”_

“Spoiled brat,” Keith muttered, even though there was no heat to it.

“Like you aren’t missing your bed,” Lance mumbled, dejected.

Keith decided they just needed to ask for help. He approached what looked like a mother with two small children with her, hoping for some form of congeniality.

“Please, I’d like to know if there’s a physician or an herbalist around?” he asked in perfect Northlands tongue.

The woman looked at him and Lance with no small fit of alarm.

“My word, sweetheart, are you both alright?” she asked, concerned.

The child at her side looked up and she blinked. Keith waved a little at her, then gestured for Lance to come to his side. He easily slid a hand on Lance’s waist, acting as though they were completely used to that kind of contact. Lance tensed in surprise, but with a squeeze, he relaxed.

“No actually me and my fiancé got attacked on the road. We were ambushed by bandits and they stole all of what we’re worth. We’ve been hiking all day and I’m fairly certain my love is coming ill,” Keith said, sighing.

Lance looked over at him looking fairly surprised by how easy it was for Keith to just spout an outright lie like that, then played up his weakness by sagging more into Keith. The woman gasped, hand over her heart.

“Oh you poor dears. Here, I know just the people you need to see,” she said, waving to them. “I’m family friends with the town’s physicians. Absolute genius the bunch of them. If not a little eccentric.”

As the woman took the lead, Lance looked at him and beamed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance finds out that there was way more to Keith's journey to Daibazaal when they were teenagers than he knew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....yeah its been a little bit...but well....eh

The town physicians were housed in a fairly comfortable two-story house near the center of the town. They asked to keep to the alleys and less-worn paths, just so that they didn’t draw too much more attention. Keith acted as though it was so that Lance didn’t feel more uncomfortable with the stares as he was from the islands. The woman (who they found out was called Martha) was a wonderfully kind woman that immediately fussed over the two of them as if they were her own children.

Lance _loved_ her.

“You two are just so sweet. How did you meet?” she asked, as one of her twin daughters tugged on Keith’s pant leg.

Lance grinned. “We’re actually friends from childhood. I was born in-,”

“Estria,” Keith finished for him with the name of the neighboring island next to Varaderia, with a small look.

He paused and then nodded. “Yes, ahem, Estria. But my…uh, family moved to the Northlands when I was just a boy. That’s when I met…”

Lance panicked for a moment, searching over Keith’s face for help. He wasn’t used to acting like he _wasn’t_ a prince, especially after three weeks of captivity, starvation and consistent drugging.

“It’s okay, I know we can trust her,” Keith said with a hand to Lance’s shoulder, making Lance balk a little.

Keith turned to the woman, acting apologetic. “Sorry, he’s always been a little worried about giving too much information out. He knows just how much he would be worth if he was kidnapped. Slave traders give anything to sell someone that was from the islands. As they’re so isolated down there.”

Lance was thrown by how easy it was for Keith to just come up with a story on the fly. The reason Lance had paused was because they hadn’t chosen their fake names yet.

“My name is Akira and he’s Olivero,” Keith said, with incredible confidence.

Lance tried not to gape outright and just laughed nervously, rubbing at the back of his neck. Martha seemed to believe them entirely.

“Oh I completely understand, sweetheart. You are a very handsome man. It must be such a hassle to deal with unwanted attention,” she said, reaching up and patting him affectionately on the cheek.

It nearly tore at his insides, as it was something so _maternal_ and _fond._ Keith entwined their fingers and gently rubbed at his sore wrist.

“He is very handsome. I’m a lucky man,” Keith said, warmly.

Lance looked over to him, seeing dark stormy indigo eyes. It was only apparent to Lance how much acting like a loving couple was conflicting for him.

“Oh, love…” Lance said, chuckling. “You’re much more of a catch than I am.”

Keith’s mouth twitched, melting a little into a warmer smile. The twins made ‘ew!’ sounds in unison at their affections. The adults laughed a little and Lance wished he had enough strength in the moment to pick one up.

Martha led them back into the town center and pointed out the physicians’ building.

“That’s where you’ll find them. Ask for Sam and Colleen Holt. They’ll fix you right up,” she said, before picking one of her daughters up.

Keith looked shocked for a second. “Wait, I’m sorry…did you say Sam _Holt_?”

But Martha was already heading off. Lance looked at him, curiously.

“What? Do you know them?” he asked, tilting his head.

Keith looked very worried about the name, glancing between Lance and the building a few times. But he sighed, wearily and dragged Lance in the door.

The apothecary sat on the ground level, with only one or two older men sitting in chairs against the wall. The counter of herbs had a sandy-haired young man bustling about, talking to the men easily.

“-and then I said ‘well I never seen an ugly like you either!’” the herbalist said, laughing with the men.

At the sound of the bell, he looked over with a practiced speech. “Hi, I’ll be right with-,”

And then comically froze with bulging eyes in shock at the sight of Keith awkwardly shuffling in to stand across the counter. Lance followed, looking between them, bewildered by the actions.

The herbalist dropped the vial he held to the ground and it shattered. Lance startled at the noise.

“Hey Matt. It’s been a long time, huh?” Keith said, wiggling his fingers a little.

This person ( _Matt?)_ stumbled back, hands gripping at his shaggy hair.

“Holy shit, _Ke-?_ ”

But Keith was quick to lean forward and cover his mouth. “Sorry, you had a little food on your mouth. Yeah, it’s me, _Akira._ We kind of need your help. Me and my…”

He sighed, letting go of Matt’s face. “Me and my fiancé got into a little bit of trouble on the road. You think Sam might be able to see us?”

Matt’s mouth opened and dropped a few times, then he grinned. “Oh, Pidge is going to _freak._ Yeah, go up and see them all. I’ll finish the work down here and then I’m getting the _entire story_ out of this one.”

Keith let out an apprehensive chuckle, eyeing the stairs up to the second floor. Lance was still completely out of the loop at _what the hell is going on here? Who is this person? Who’s Sam? Who’s Pidge? How do they know Keith? Why does Keith look so worried?_

_WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!_

But Lance couldn’t ask anything without drawing too much attention, so they headed up the stairs as Matt jumped into another story. It sounded more distracting and intense than the last one, probably to try and get the men to forget the strange encounter with the…strangers.

The stairs led up to an opening in the floor of the second floor, Keith taking the lead. He was nervous tapping his fingers on his leg and they revealed themselves. The second floor was much more obviously a home, the stairs leading right into the living room.

A man that looked like Matt was at work at the table in the corner and a woman sat on the ratty couch in front of the fireplace.

“Oh, Matt have you checked-,”

The man looked up and stopped, just like Matt did at the sight of Keith. The woman whipped around to freeze, too.

“Hello, Sam. It’s good to see you again,” Keith said, looking shy and sheepish for some reason.

Sam Holt stood from the table, looking like he’d just seen a ghost. Keith tried for a smile, but only looked like a grimace. Sam crossed the room with just a few strides before sweeping Keith up in a tight hug. Keith really did grimace then, letting out a grunt of pain. Sam released him immediately, to look him over.

“ _Keith…”_ he said, shocked.

Colleen Holt stood up, too. Her eyes were shining with tears, for some reason. Lance was still completely out of the loop.

She gasped a few breaths, then turned down the hallway to the right.

“Katie! Katie, get out here!”

Keith looked a little overwhelmed at this, but couldn’t say anything before a mini version of Matt came careening out of their room.

“Mom, what is-,”

Then another freeze moment, but this time the young girl turned almost a _ngry._

_“Keith?!”_

She stalked right between Lance and Keith, glaring at the subject of her supposed ire. Keith stepped back in fear a little, which made Lance even _more_ bewildered because even the pirates who kidnapped them didn’t scare Keith.

“What happened to you? You just disappeared! Kolivan was so _worried!_ And who is this?” Sam asked, looking to Lance.

Lance startled, as Keith grabbed Sam’s hand. “I’ll explain everything. But he needs to be looked over.”

Sam frowned, staring at Keith’s wrist. He gently moved the shirt sleeve and gaped.

“What happened to you two?”

Keith explained everything to the Holts as best he could. They were sat at the table in the living room, as Sam took off their shirts and started treating their many injuries. Keith started from when he decided to go back to Varaderia five years before, telling them just who Lance really was and how they managed to get kidnapped.

Matt and Pidge were satisfied pretty early on, which made Keith incredibly relieved. Sam was fairly concerned about who kidnapped him, but Colleen was still stuck on the fact that Lance was a _prince._

“I’m so sorry that we haven’t cleaned for you!” she shrilled, getting to work immediately.

“No, no, Mrs. Holt, it’s perfectly fine!” Lance said, waving his arms that were now treated and wrapped.

“Matthew get to work making the poor boys some _food,_ will you?” Colleen said, hands on her hips.

Matt squawked. “Wha-why me? Pidge can do it!”

“What? My best friend comes back seemingly from the _dead_ and you want me to make the food?” Pidge asked, affronted.

“We can’t stay. We have to move on,” Keith said, cutting in. “It’s too dangerous for us to stay here, so close to where we were taken to. Whoever owns that mansion on the hill has something to do with it.”

“Wait, you didn’t say that you were taken to _Sendak’s_ mansion!” Pidge said, shocked.

“Wait, who? What? Sendak? Also, like…uh, who are you?” Lance asked, frowning.

“I’m Keith’s best friend and yeah, Sendak! The guy that made Keith’s life a living hell for nearly seven months,” Pidge said, shaking her head.

Keith winced a little in pain as Sam got to work on wrapping his shoulder. Lance was staring at Pidge in shock.

“Okay, so I’ve been _very_ patient here, but I can’t take it anymore. What the hell is going on here? Who are you people? Who is Sendak? How does he know Keith? How do _you_ know Keith? Also _I’m_ his best friend! I’ve known him since we were kids!” Lance said, desperate for information.

Keith grimaced at the questions. He knew it had to happen at some point.

Pidge scoffed, boldly since Lance was still a _prince._

“People can have more than one best friend, man. And what? He hasn’t told you? We were basically inseparable six years ago when he came to Daibazaal,” she said, casually.

Lance’s jaw dropped, then slowly turned to where Keith was looking anywhere other than him.

“ _No._ In fact, I’ve never been able to get him to talk about those months. Ever. For _five years,”_ he said, through clenched teeth.

Keith sighed. “Your highness-,”

“Oh don’t you fucking _dare,”_ Lance said, angrily standing and pointing an accusatory finger. “Don’t you try to just jump back into _proper_ bodyguard mode. I’ve had it! I want to know _everything._ Now.”

“What? Is that an order?” Keith countered, bolder than he had ever been.

Because _fuck_ propriety. 

“Is that my _prince_ ordering me to tell him? Or is that my friend, disrespecting my privacy?”

Lance sucked in a breath, conflicted emotions roaming over his face. The Holts awkwardly fell silent, Matt cringing.

“Uh…yeah, you know what…I think I’ll go make our guests some dinner. Got any requests? No? That’s fine, I’ll figure it out,” he said, basically running from the living room.

Lance was still standing, but had taken a few breaths to steel himself.

“Is this my _guard_ trying to protect me from something? Or is this my _friend_ that apparently doesn’t trust me anymore?” he asked, quietly.

Pidge snorted. “Ohh Keith, he got you good there.”

“Katie!” Colleen admonished.

“No, it’s fine, Mrs. Holt. I’ve decided I like Pidge very much,” Lance said, without breaking eye contact with Keith.

Pidge whooped, fists in the air. “And I didn’t even have to suck up to the guy!”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you!” Keith said, ignoring everything else that happened. “It’s…dangerous what I went through.”

“Oh yeah, like I don’t know anything about danger anymore,” Lance said, scoffing. “Might I remind you that we’ve been _stuck in shackles for three weeks?!”_

“Great!” Keith said, standing up too and facing off with Lance. “Yeah, go ahead and rub it in my face that I’m such a _failure_ at my one _fucking_ job!”

Lance let out a frustrated cry. “It’s not about that either! I’m not some fragile little prince that you need to protect all the time!”

“YES, YOU ARE!” Keith shouted, finally losing his composure in the moment.

Lance stepped back, gaping in shock at the tone. Keith cringed, stepping back too.

“I didn’t mean-,”

“No, you did, didn’t you?” Lance asked, so reminiscent of his father in his dignified tone. “You think of me as some pet you can keep on a leash.”

“ _No!_ No, that’s not it at all!” Keith said, desperately. He groaned, rubbing at his aching head. “Why do you want to know so much? What’s there to gain? We can’t be what we were. It’s _over_ now.”

Lance fingers curled in the air, as if he was trying to strangle Keith.

“Gods, you’re so _infuriating_ sometimes! Fucking-I know, gods damn it! I know we can’t be what we were! I’m not asking that!” he said, stepping forward again. “It’s just-,”

Lance sighed, dropping his arms to his side, dejected.

“I just want to know what _happened._ I’ve been in the dark for so many _years,_ Keith. And here we are, in some foreign country, with some family you seem to know so well that I’ve never heard a word about and-and I’m so fucking _tired_ and I’m in _pain a_ nd I saw you get-get fucking _sheared,_ I-,” Lance cut himself off, squeezing his eyes shut.

There was a small sniffle that cut right to Keith’s heart.

“I just want to _know._ I just want some _answers.”_

“Your-,” Keith tried to say, before sighing softly and squeezing his eyes shut.

“Lance, I…I’m not trying to say that…that I don’t _want_ to talk about it. Those…those months that I was here were some of the worst in my entire life. There were just small happy moments. And I don’t really know how to talk about even those without…without having to talk about some of the hardest times I’ve ever had to go through. This…this is _more_ than just what happened between us. What…is _still_ between us,” he said, quietly.

Lance had a million emotions flit through his face, all of which was some form of concern or shock.

“I…I-I…o-okay. I…I know that…I know that there was something bad about it. You came back and you look like you were… _haunted_. I always thought it was because of me or-or us or whatever. But...but even though I had been left to the islands as I always had lived, it was like you took a dagger right to my heart when you came back and…and there was _nothing_ in your eyes. Like you were just… _empty._ You…you don’t have to tell me. If it…if it makes you feel bad, you don’t have to tell me anything. But…but I’d _like_ to be there for you. As…”

Lance paused and bit his lip as his face settled on exhausted sadness.

“As nothing more than just your friend.”

Keith took a glance to Sam, trying to ask if it would ruin everything if he really did come clean about his time in Daibazaal. Sam shrugged.

“It was your journey. I’m sure Kolivan would understand. On the other side…I wouldn’t know about that. At this point…it might help you finally let go of some of your past,” he said, quietly to Keith. “And…well, you’ve already been kidnapped. I think you’ve probably already been through the worst.”

Keith took a long breath.

Maybe it was time.

“Okay, Lance. After dinner, I’ll tell you everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's more likely this one is going to have more weekly or bi-weekly updates rather than the super fast ones i had before


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith comes clean about what happened to him in the past   
> TW:// mentions of non/consensual sexual abuse of a minor, traumatic experiences and character death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY THIS UPDATEDD!!! WHOOP

The dinner was just edible enough that Lance could have almost three entire bowls of it. It was a meat stew with some tubers and vegetables. He didn’t ask what the meat was or where it came from.

Keith ate more than he did, probably really feeling the loss of muscle mass and trying to get as much of it back as he could. When they were finished, Colleen drew up a bath and told them both to sit on the sides of it with just their pants on as she scrubbed.

“We can do this ourselves, Colleen,” Keith said, awkwardly.

“Nonsense. You need to rest from everything you’ve been through. And I need to take care of your injuries. It’s the least I can do,” she said, adding soap to both their heads.

Lance hummed and closed his eyes, as he found the methodical scrubbing therapeutic.

“Thank you so much for your hospitality. We may not have survived without it,” Lance said, kindly.

“It’s an honor to serve a prince,” she said, chuckling. “You’re very gentle for your position.”

Then as they were done with their torsos, which were most of their injuries, they were left alone to wash their bottom halves. Lance took time to scrub at his legs from the dirty grime and…other dried substances.

He shivered when he thought of the bucket.

Lance was so relieved to feel like he was finally clean after three entire weeks of horrible hygiene. He took a look in the mirror over the basin, sighing at what he saw.

It wasn’t good. He could barely recognize himself.

At least that meant that it was unlikely anyone would recognize him either.

They were given Matt’s room, while Matt went to sleep in Pidge’s room on the floor. Lance sighed as he sat down and Keith was taking his turn in the washroom. It’d been so long since he could lie down in a bed. He really wanted nothing more than to just sleep for a week.

Keith was done fairly quickly and entered the room with just pants on. It was then that Lance finally got a good look.

The man was very cut at the muscles, even after three weeks of barely any exercise. There was some scars over his stomach that Lance had never seen before, likely from those months of whatever Keith was doing in Daibazaal.

“So…where do you want to start?” Lance asked, quietly.

Keith glanced at him, then took a long breath. “I…don’t know. There’s a lot…”

Lance scooted to sit against the headboard and crossed his legs. He patted the bed in front of him and Keith chuckled, sitting down.

“So…I guess I can start with the fact that I’m an orphan,” Keith said, casually.

“Oh okay, so when I said _start_ you really decided to just go right to the beginning,” Lance said, sarcastically.

Keith gave him a look to shut him up. Lance held up his hands in surrender and Keith continued.

“I’m an orphan, but I did have my father up until he died when I was eight. But…when I was sixteen, I got word from Daibazaal. It was a general in King Zarkon’s army. Sendak. He told…someone…that my mother was still alive,” he said, uncomfortable.

Lance sucked in a breath. “Wait…what? What are you talking about? Why did you never tell me?”

“We had just…started our relationship. And I was so…young and broken. I didn’t want you to see that part of me. Know about that part of my life,” Keith said, turning on the bed to face Lance head on.

“So…what happened then?” Lance prodded.

Keith shook his head. “I ignored it for a while. I didn’t want to think about it. I just…wanted to focus on you and-and us being together. But, when I got approached about us…someone had found out. And of course, being the peasant in the situation, I was the one at fault for seducing you.”

“But you weren’t! I was the one-,” Lance started to argue, but shut up at the look on Keith’s face.

“It doesn’t matter. You’re a prince. I’m not. It’s as simple as that,” Keith said, forlorn. “And at sixteen, it was much more…damaging. That’s why I started to pull away from you. And then…”

Keith sighed, deflating. “Then you wanted to run away.”

Lance stayed silent on the topic, no matter how much he wanted to argue more.

“So, I convinced myself: maybe this was what we needed. I could tell you all about my mother being alive, we could run away to Daibazaal together and find her. I thought that meant we could be a family together,” Keith said, quietly.

Lance frowned. “So then…what happened?”

“I saw you,” Keith whispered, eyes shining. “I saw you the night before we were supposed to leave. I saw you crying.”

“Oh…” Lance said, head falling to look at his lap. “I…I thought I was alone.”

“I figured out what it meant. That running away would mean that _I_ would find my family, but you would lose yours.”

Lance knew he couldn’t actually argue that point. He took a deep breath.

“Okay. So then…”

Keith nodded. “I broke it off. That night I told you everything I told you. Then for a few months, I just avoided you. But I just couldn’t feel right on the island without being your friend. So then I decided to go find the man that said he knew my mother. I bought passage on a ship and found my way to Drule.”

The story from then on wove the journey of Keith trying desperately to find his mother. He started out looking for Sendak, who bribed his services for his personal army with information on his mother. He was broken, beaten, pimped out to soldiers without his consent, slashed with knives and thrown to frontline skirmishes. Lance shuddered and his heart pounded at the horrific images that came out of that. Keith incredibly kept a monotone voice the entire time.

Then, the story shifted when Matt found him.

“He had been saving ex-soldiers of the Galra armies with a group that works against your uncle. It’s called the Blade of Marmora. They adopted me into their ranks and I became a spy,” Keith said, proudly.

Lance finally felt the edges of a smile. “You liked being a spy?”

Keith shrugged. “I liked not being a punching dummy for Sendak’s army.”

And then he spoke of the Holts with a fondness, that while he worked with the Blade, they housed and kept him safe. Pidge worked with him closely as a confidant and apparently he had told her basically everything. Lance couldn’t help a stab of jealousy, that this girl probably knew more about his childhood friend than he did.

“And then…then it happened,” Keith said, falling into a bittersweet smile.

“What did?”

Keith looked up from his lap, with tears shining in his eyes.

“I found her. My mother.”

Lance was struck dumb, then he was so incredibly excited that he grabbed Keith’s hand.

“Oh my gods! Really? Where is she? What do you think of her? Did she tell you why she left?” Lance couldn’t help the questions.

Keith sighed, squeezing his hand. “She’s gone. Three years ago. A plague. Her name was Krolia and she was nearly as tall as my father was. She was strong and fast and really, really brave. She left because she was Galra and my father was Altean. It wasn’t a very respected match. She got word of threats on my father’s life and mine. So, she left to try and save us.”

“Oh no…” Lance whispered, as Keith was heavy with grief.

“But at the time I was here, we just spent nearly every second we could together. It was maybe five months that I knew her, but she…she was suddenly my mom. And I loved her.”

Keith was small in that moment…just an orphan boy who had lost everything.

“But…then…why?” Lance asked, confused. “Why did you come back? You could have stayed in Daibazaal and had your mother again. Why did you leave again?”

Keith squeezed his hand, slowly enveloping in between his palms, despite the injury. He caught Lance’s gaze and smiled a little.

“I missed Varaderia. I missed Shiro and Adam and Hunk. I missed _you.”_

Lance sucked in his bottom lip and tried very, very hard not to burst into tears.

Keith chuckled, shaking his head. “Even though, I really had no idea how to act around you. I was such a mess. I left Daibazaal without a word to anyone except Krolia. I didn’t ask her to come with me, because her place was in Daibazaal. I told her I didn’t want Sendak knowing where I went. So, I shaved my head in preparation and I left. I came back to you.”

“Then…why be my bodyguard? Of all things?” Lance asked, still a little bitter about those first few years after reuniting.

“I was young. And broken. And I just wanted to be by your side,” Keith said, wearily. “I thought, if I swore to you, then no one could order me away. It’d be normal for me to stay by your side forever.”

“You…you gave up your family…your new friends…the _cause_ of your people…just so that you could stand at my door every day?” Lance asked, dumbfounded.

Keith let out a wet laugh, heel of his hand digging into his temple.

“Okay, when you put it that way, it sounds pretty pathetic,” he said, self-deprecatingly.

“Keith! That’s not _pathetic,_ it’s _insane!”_ Lance said, cupping Keith’s cheeks. He shook the man’s head once. “ _Why?_ Why didn’t you just _tell_ me? Why did you let me treat you like fucking _dirt_ for five years?”

Keith sniffled a little, closing his eyes and letting tears fall. Lance felt his own tears tracks down his face.

“Why, Keith? _Why?_ ”

“Because…”

Keith shuttered out a breath and opened his eyes.

“Because I love you, Lance. That’s never changed. I’ll always love you.”

Lance’s heart surged into his throat and his lip quivered. He was overjoyed. Elated beyond belief. Keith had been so lost to him for so long. Even though Lance spent every day loving him. Every second. Every moment of his life, from the minute they met. Even though he’d spent _years_ waiting for those words from Keith…Lance ended up speechless in the moment.

Keith deserved an entire love. A person that could give him _everything._ Someone without the responsibilities as a prince. Without the duty of marrying for advantage. Without the life of being constantly on the run. He deserved someone’s whole heart and soul, with no reservations or caveats.

And it was that moment, that Lance knew…

He was never going to be able to give that to Keith.

“And…and I’m sorry. For all that time I selfishly pushed you away. And for being too cowardly to tell you everything,” Keith continued, not seemingly turned off from how silent Lance was being.

“No, it’s okay. I understand. After all that…I understand,” Lance whispered, crying even harder. “I’m so sorry you went through all that alone. That must have been so…lonely.”

Keith’s mouth twitched into a wry smile. “Yeah…it might have been lonelier than I thought. I was just doing what I thought was right.”

Lance nodded, wiping away a few of Keith’s stray tears.

“I love you, too. I’ve always loved you. It’s always been you. It’ll always _be_ you.”

Keith sighed, looking as sad as can be. There was such a loud, but silent condition. An unspoken ‘however’ added on.

_‘However, we can never be together’_

“Yeah. I know.”

Lance leaned forward and set their foreheads together and in their overwhelming exhaustion and emotional turmoil, they cried until they fell asleep in bed together.

Keith groaned as he woke, the first full night’s sleep in three weeks on a bed, without any drugs in his system. And that meant he felt every aching pain after the relief of being unconscious by choice.

“Well, this is certainly a compromising position.”

Keith’s eyes shot wide open, turning to see Pidge and Matt standing in the doorway, smirking at him.

“Wha-?”

And then Keith felt the stirrings of Lance, who was cuddled as close as could be against his chest. Keith tensed, all the memories flooding back. He looked down at the man basically sprawled over top of him.

“ _Shit!”_ Keith whispered, hands covering over his face.

“So, what happened huh?” Matt asked, digging for information. “Finally confess your undying love that you kept denying the entire time we knew you?”

“That’s not-,”

“If you try to clam up again and try to deny what happened last night, I will fucking _strangle_ you.”

Lance’s voice was smothered in his shirt. Keith sighed, falling into breathless laughter.

“I feel like no matter what happens or what we say…we’re absolutely fucked,” Keith said, resigned.

“Yeah, probably.”

Lance sat up with a groan and a hiss. Keith sat up behind him and ran a hand over his back.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I was shackled in a cell and drugged for three weeks, how about you?” Lance asked, with an eyebrow raised.

“Yeah about the same,” Keith said, wincing.

“So you _did_ confess your undying love?” Pidge asked, looking way too invested in this.

“I like how you’re both just _saying_ things to me, as if I’m not still royalty,” Lance said, sarcastically.

“Not really royalty here, bucko. You’re just the guy that my friend’s been pining for since he was ten years old,” Pidge said, shrugging.

“Wow, would you look at that? I think it’s time for you both to _leave,”_ Keith said, growling deep in his throat.

Matt and Pidge rolled their eyes in unison, then Pidge stopped in the doorway as Keith stood up slowly from the bed. She had a shit-eating grin on her face.

“Could I at least know if you fucked?”

Keith grabbed her by the back of her head and unceremoniously shoved her out the door, slamming it shut.

Lance sputtered into laughter.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's complicated...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol regular update schedule? i dont know her dont look at me

“So, what’s your plan?”

Matt was entirely serious when he asked as they ate in the living room.

Lance perked up, looking to Keith. He sighed. He was so damn _tired._

“We have to get moving. Now. They’re probably already combing over the town for us and Lance’s looks aren’t something that is easily forgotten,” Keith said, completely serious too.

Lance looked flustered at that. “Oh, uh, ahem. I don’t know if I’d go _that_ far…”

“So, you’re getting him back to Varaderia?” Pidge asked, tilting her head.

Keith nodded. “He’s got responsibilities there. He’s supposed to get married. They kidnapped us at his birthday party.”

The entire room hushed in shock, turning fast to Lance. The prince cringed visibly.

“Oh yeah… _kind of_ forgot about that part…” he said, sheepishly.

“But not to you?” Matt pointed to Keith, then swung to Lance. “But you’re-,”

“And this morning!” Pidge did something similar by waving her arms around them as they sat next to each other at the table and the Holts were scattered around the sofa and walls.

“And last night?” Matt added, even more perturbed.

Keith and Lance both sighed and in unison said: “It’s complicated.”

“Damn…” Pidge muttered, shaking her head. “No wonder you denied it so long.”

“ _Any_ way…” Keith said, changing the subject. “We just need enough supplies and horses to get back to Drule and find a way to sneak aboard a ship headed off for the islands. We don’t necessarily need to find one straight to Varaderia. If we at least find one to the islands, then we can reveal him as Prince Leandro and someone will rescue him.”

Sam and Colleen looked at each other. They nodded.

“Okay, we’ll help. And I think that it’d be a good idea to take along Matt and Katie,” Sam said, turning to his children.

“Wait, really?” Pidge asked, jumping to her feet from the ground. “Is this a quest? This feels like a quest.”

“Oh, I’m so in!” Matt said, grinning and jumping to his feet too. “Quest time!”

The two siblings grabbed hands and chanted ‘quest time’ together. Lance leaned close to Keith, eyeing them with trepidation.

“Uh, what is going on? Am I missing something again? Why do they think just getting us to a port town is a quest?” he asked, quietly.

“No, I don’t really get it either,” Keith answered, chuckling. “The Holt siblings are vicious and cutthroat, but they’re also _incredibly_ strange. Half of what they say sounds like complete nonsense and yet, they’re some of the smartest people I’ve ever met.”

Lance hummed, sounding like he doubted that. Keith didn’t blame him at all, he felt very similarly when he first met the family.

The siblings went off to pack some things for all of them while Sam made them sit for another treatment of their injuries and packed as many medicines and tonics as he could for the road.

“Drule is nearly a full two week’s ride from here. You’ll need to let Matt do some treatment on you both, too,” he said, casually.

“Wait, what? Two weeks?” Keith asked, frowning.

“I thought we’ve only been gone for three?” Lance asked. “Two on the ship, one in the carriage?”

“I bet it _was_ one week. That is that they probably didn’t stop for the night anywhere,” Sam said, taking time to look over Keith’s shoulder.

“Oh right. They probably didn’t. I don’t remember them ever stopping,” Lance said, shivering. “Except for…”

“Don’t need to go over that again,” Keith said, grimacing.

Sam shook his head. “You boys have been through enough as it is. Let Matt and Katie help you get back home. Otherwise, I’m fairly certain you’d die.”

“Incredible confidence in us, thank you,” Lance said, looking amused.

“Well, Keith could maybe get you home on his own if he hadn’t been shackled and drugged for three weeks, but that was what happened,” Sam said, chuckling.

“I don’t know if I should take that as a compliment or feel insulted,” Keith said.

Lance snorted, almost sounding unattractive. It made Keith hesitate, then slowly grin.

It was then that Keith really _saw_ Lance.

Of course he had always seen him, they were friends since childhood after all. But maybe subconsciously, he’d kept such a distance between them. Lance had a knack for being almost ethereal without even trying. The silks, the oils, the jewelry, the makeup. He would look like a vision surrounded by his wealth and natural beauty.

But Keith realized that maybe he was _trying_ to see him as unattainable, because it was easier that way.

He was to his core Prince Leandro Olivero of the house McClain.

And yet, the twenty-one-year-old man sitting next to him was just a ragged, tired, version of that. There were no silks, no jewelry, no wealth to distract Keith away from who he was.

He was Lance.

A man that loved his family, that was charming and funny, that was sometimes loud and very flirty. That didn’t always think out the consequences of his actions, that had a heart of gold that never faded. He was humble, brave, selfless and more than anything loved the people around him.

He was sometimes abrasive, obnoxious, spoiled and entitled. He had a habit of forgetting other people’s feelings and could sometimes be lost in his own insecurity. He struggled with the position he held and he wanted nothing more than to feel freedom.

All that made up the man sitting next to him.

And Keith loved him.

Colleen led them all out down into the town with cloaks over Keith and Lance’s faces. She led them down the alleyways to find a stable and barn on the farther edges out of town. She managed to find three horses for the four of them, to which they argued who was going to have to double up.

“Man, just take the royal highness with you,” Matt said, pointing between Keith and Lance.

“Hey, are you saying that I’m too weak to handle a stupid horse on my own?” Lance asked, feeling somewhat offended.

“We’re saying you’d probably like it anyway,” Pidge said, smirking.

“You should double with Matt. You’re like twelve,” Keith said, pointing at her.

Pidge bared her teeth and growled at him like a dog. “I’m nineteen, asshole. You’ve been gone for five years. Get with it.”

“Wait, okay…we’re getting nowhere and we need to get somewhere out of town if we don’t want to get caught and thrown into chains again,” Lance said, waving a hand. “It’s fine. I’ll double with Pidge for now and then we’ll switch around so the horses won’t get too tired.”

All the rest of them turned confused looks on him. Lance rolled his eyes.

“Pidge and I are the lightest. Geniuses.”

Keith gave him a small amused look, while the Holts looked somewhat impressed.

“Oh. Right. Duh,” Matt said, stepping up to the first horse (a fair tempered chestnut brown mare named Sugar).

“Okay, fine. But I take the reins,” Pidge said, an eyebrow quirked at Lance.

Lance exchanged an amused look with Keith and didn’t say anything. They saddled the horses and led them all out as a group, while Colleen fussed over them to remember everything. She tied at least five bags full of food, medicine, small weapons, tools and clothes to the horses. Lance thanked her profusely and promised that once he was safe back in his kingdom that he’d send back any kind of payment possible. She looked absolutely affronted.

“You will _not_ do that or so help me I will get on a boat myself and dump the money right at your feet again,” she said, scoffing.

Lance blinked in surprise. “Oh, I’m…sorry? But…I have to pay you back somehow. These horses couldn’t have been cheap and all our treatments…”

“Just get back home safely. That’s all I would ask for,” Colleen said, patting his cheek, fondly.

“Alright, Mom…we have to go now. Like _right_ now,” Matt said, shaking his head.

The woman spent one more minute kissing all of their cheeks (even Keith’s, who looked very embarrassed by the affection) and then they mounted their horses, setting off quickly. Keith and Lance kept cloaked hoods and cowls on to obscure their faces, while Matt and Pidge kept Keith’s horse in the middle.

At the town’s border, there was a short checkpoint with some of Sendak’s men that made all of them tense.

“Don’t speak,” Matt whispered, seriously. “Me and Pidge will do the talking.”

As they met the soldier, he looked suspiciously at them all.

“Names and documentation,” he said, expectantly.

“Matthew and Katherine Holt, along with guests Olivero Keoni and Akira. No family name. We’re off on a supply run for my parents,” Matt said, presenting a few papers out of his saddle bag.

“And why no family name for your… _guest?”_ the soldier asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Orphaned in the First Death,” Pidge answered, easily.

Keith nodded in agreement. The soldier poured over the documents, then stared hard as both Keith and Lance struggled to look as casual as possible.

“And why cover your faces?” he asked, even more suspicious.

Lance’s heart raced as the questions got more and more intense and he tightened his hold on Pidge’s waist in fear. Pidge subtly patted his hand to calm him down.

“Is there a problem, officer?” Matt asked, challenging him a little. “We’re just simple physician assistants. Is it suddenly a crime to be shy?”

The soldier huffed, as the line started to call out in irritation of the hold up. He rolled his eyes and waved them on.

“Fine. Your papers are cleared. Go on.”

Lance let out a soft sigh of relief and they quickly moved on, as fast as would be possible without drawing more attention. As they hurried on the dirt road and the town got farther behind them, they signaled their horses to a faster trot.

“Dad drew us up a map to show the least likely routes that Sendak’s men would follow. But that would mean it could add a few more days onto the journey,” Matt said, as they got to a safer distance from the town.

“So…safest route that takes the longest or the fastest with the most risk?” Pidge asked, turning to look at Keith.

Lance was actually glad that they never seemed to constantly look to him for input. He would have probably no genuine clue what the best course of action was. He trusted Keith way more in that instance.

Keith sighed, glancing to look at Lance. “What do you think, sire?”

Lance tensed a little at the reminder that he really was supposed to be the one with higher authority. He shook his head.

“You pick. You’re the one with most experience with Sendak and Daibazaal. You should know the best way,” he said, throwing it back at him.

Keith nodded. “Alright. Then I say we go the safest route. As important as it is to be quick, it’s more important to just stay alive and undetected. It’d defeat the purpose if we end up closer to Drule and still get captured again in the end anyway.”

“Would it make more sense to maybe find a different port city? Drule seems to be the first place they’d look for us heading back to the islands,” Lance asked, curiously.

“Any other port city would add a whole two more weeks to the journey. Drule is the fastest city to get passage. So we sacrifice a few more days to take the least likely route to Drule then risk it from there. That seems to be the consensus,” Matt said, nodding.

“Sounds good to me. All in all, how long will that mean it’d take for you both to finally get back home?” Pidge asked, still looking to Keith.

“Probably close to a month, give or take a week for…unexpected adventures,” Keith responded, sounding resigned. “I wish I could just send word to Varaderia that Lance is safe, I’m sure the royal family is losing their heads with worry. Not to mention Shiro and the guards. But it’s just too risky. We don’t know who might be working for Sendak or what his plans were when he ordered the kidnapping. We just have to get him back as safely and as quick as we can.”

Lance’s heart panged with concern, imagining his family all worried and looking for him. He bit his lip to keep from getting choked up at the image of his mother crying that he just up and disappeared.

“Uh…so here’s a thought…since pretty much all of us here immediately knew what was really going on between you two…do you think that maybe some people will just assume that you ran away together?” Matt asked, intrigued.

“Wow, you both really don’t mince your words, do you?” Lance asked, dryly. “I’m still royalty, you know. Technically you both could be in serious trouble just for accusing me of something like that.”

“Yeah right,” Pidge said, smirking as she turned to look back at him. “What are you going to do? Pout at us?”

“Don’t underestimate him, Pidge. He’s got a seriously potent pout. It’s a McClain staple,” Keith said, chuckling.

“What a completely disrespectful lot you all are. I can’t believe it,” Lance said, scoffing. He hid a smile behind his cowl.

“And…it’s possible a few people will think we ran away together,” Keith said, reverting the subject back. “But I think anyone who matters won’t think so. It was Lance’s birthday party. If he wanted to run away to avoid getting married, he’d done it weeks before to avoid all the festivities. And if I was actually willing to do it with him, I’d done it…”

It was a silent addition of ‘ _I’d done it the first time’._ Lance sighed under his breath, feeling the sharp pangs of loss and heartache again. He really didn’t see any way they could possibly be together at that point. They were truly hopeless.

“You both are so depressing, yeesh,” Pidge said, huffing.

Lance and Keith exchanged a sad glance and then turned away from each other.

_So depressing indeed._


End file.
